No dissonance in US on tackling Haqqani Network, other terror groups, says State Department

Responding to question related to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's remark that Pakistan is taking strong action against the Haqqani (terror) Network, and as to why there seems to be a different view being projected by the U.S. Defense Department at the Pentagon, a State Department spokesman said there is no dissonance between the two government departments on the issue of terror, or how to deal with terrorist outfits like the Haqqani Network.

When asked, "Sir, I've just seen Secretary Kerry's statement in India. He just said that Pakistan in recent months has taken strong action against Haqqani Network. But if we see the Pentagon, they have different views about the Pakistani action against the Haqqani Network. Why are the State Department and the Pentagon not on the same page?," U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said, "Well, I - I'm not going to just presume that your implication is correct there, that we're not. I don't know what comments you're talking about from the Pentagon that differ from what we're saying here at the State Department. Look, I'd just say that we all recognize that the continued security threat that is posed by the Haqqani Network and by other terrorist groups that operate inside Pakistan and along that border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the Pentagon is obviously well aware of that, as we are here, and it's a conversation that we continue to have and will continue to have with our partners in the region. I'm not aware that there's any dissonance here in terms of the way we're seeing it."

 

When Kirby further asked whether there is a particular comment that was being referring to, and was informed that the BBC has quoted Kerry, as saying, Kirby said, "No, I know what my Secretary said. You're saying there - that's a difference opinion that's expressed at the Pentagon, and there is a constant conversation that we are having with our Pakistani partners about the threat posed by Haqqani and by other extremist groups there in the region and certainly operating inside Pakistan."

He further stated, "And we make these decisions routinely and they're based on active, fluid, dynamic conversations that we have with Pakistani leaders. I don't know of any difference. I think the United States Government is viewing this very much all in the same - in the same light."

He also said that he did have any details regarding Secretary Kerry's talks with Prime Minister Sharif and General Raheel Sharif in Pakistan.

Kirby said, "I don't know - let's see if I have a recent call. I don't have a recent call to read out, so I'd have to find out when the last discussion was."

On the issue of resumption of a trilateral dialogue with India and Afghanistan, Kirby said, "I think the movement forward - I think we have to work through those details. And I think what matters is that, as the Secretary said, those discussions are important and they are going to continue."

"And he talked about the constructive role that India has played inside Afghanistan and wanting to see that - see that role continue. So, we're focused on the future here. I'm not going to get into a debate or a discussion about what happened in the past and the degree to which those talks didn't continue. What matters is they are going to continue going forward, and that's why - one of the reasons why the Secretary's there in New Delhi today," he added.