Allen Meets With Pakistani Military Chief

From an International Security Assistance Force News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 2, 2012 – Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, met in Islamabad, Pakistan, today with Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Pakistan’s chief of army staff.

The meeting was another in a series of opportunities for the commanders to continue building upon the growing operational cooperation among the Afghan national security forces, the Pakistani military and ISAF, officials said.

In a written statement recapping the meeting, ISAF officials said all three parties share many interests, including a commitment to expanding opportunities for coordinated action against terrorists on both sides of the border who threaten Afghanistan, Pakistan and the region. They also are committed to support Afghanistan’s security, stability, and reconciliation efforts and share a responsibility for protecting Afghan and Pakistani soldiers working in the border region, officials said.

The talks also recognized the importance of future opportunities for key Afghan, Pakistani and ISAF senior military leaders to continue to explore ways to expand their vital partnership, the statement said.
Kayani said the U.S.-Pakistan relationship should be based on mutual trust, respect, and transparency, and that today’s meeting helped to improve strategic and operational understanding between the Pakistani military and ISAF.

“I look forward to these visits and am pleased with the upward spiral in our relationship they represent,” Allen said. “We are making significant progress toward building a partnership that is enduring, strategic, carefully defined, and that enhances the security and prosperity of the region.”