The three-day talks are the latest round of a "strategic dialogue," an initiative by President Barack Obama's administration to show a skeptical Pakistani public that it seeks ties beyond just cooperation on Afghanistan.

Officials will discuss a broad range of issues weeks after Pakistan temporarily shut down the main crossing for war supplies heading into Afghanistan, infuriated by a NATO helicopter strike that killed Pakistani soldiers in the border area.

Frank Ruggiero, the US deputy special representative on Pakistan and Afghanistan, said the talks aimed to "move beyond these tensions." He said the US side would take up support for Pakistan's economy, flood survivors -- and military.

"We specifically worked with the Pakistanis over the summer to identify what would be the types of military equipment and so on," Ruggiero told reporters.

The US Congress approved a five-year, 7.5 billion-dollar package for Pakistan last year aimed at building schools, infrastructure and democratic institutions in hopes of denting the appeal of extremists.

Pakistan's powerful military initially voiced misgivings, saying the aid came with too many conditions. During the first round of the strategic dialogue in March, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised to work on a "multi-year security assistance package."

Pakistan was once the chief supporter of Afghanistan's Taliban regime but switched sides after the September 11, 2001 attacks, becoming the front-line US partner in the war against violent extremists.

Its arch-foe India has begrudgingly accepted US civilian aid to Islamabad but voiced fears over military help, believing it would target India rather than extremists. The two nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three full-fledged wars since independence in 1947.

Obama will pay his first visit to India next month, hoping to show the world's largest democracy he wants a deeper relationship and is not preoccupied by Pakistan and China. The United States has also been seeking military contracts from India as it tries to modernize its force.

Ruggiero said the United States considered its ties with India and Pakistan to be "distinct bilateral relationships."

The United States has hailed Pakistan's commitment to fighting its homegrown Taliban, including launching a major offensive in its tribal areas.

But New Delhi has pressed for Pakistan to do more against anti-Indian extremists such as those linked to the bloody 2008 assault on Mumbai.

A recent White House report to Congress also faulted Pakistan for avoiding direct conflict with Afghanistan's Taliban, in what experts see as an attempt by Islamabad to preserve influence in the country once US forces leave.

"I think we see an unprecedented level of cooperation from the Pakistanis in taking on insurgents," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said, adding that US officials would explain "what more must be done" during this week's meetings.

On Wednesday and Thursday, officials from 13 working groups will meet to discuss topics ranging from agriculture to defense, education, law enforcement, water and women's empowerment.

The strategic dialogue culminates Friday in talks between Clinton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Pakistan's army chief General Ashfaq Kayani will also participate and hold talks at the Pentagon.

Qureshi, speaking Monday at Harvard University, said Pakistan was committed to joining the United States to destroy the "terrorist cancer."

"But we are first and foremost, like every nation on earth, committed to preserving our national interest," he added.

Ashley Tellis, an expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, accused Pakistan of extracting aid from Washington while supporting the very groups that undermine Afghanistan's stability.

In an essay for Foreign Policy magazine, he said the United States needed to "change the rules of the game" and condition further support on Pakistan meeting counterterrorism benchmarks.

While Pakistan may react negatively, "the bitter truth is that the current state of affairs -- in which Washington indefinitely subsidizes Islamabad's sustenance of US enemies -- poses far greater dangers to the United States," he said.

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News