U.S. senator calls for strong ties with Pakistan

Chairman of the U.S. Senate Arms Services Committee, Senator John McCain, on Saturday called for close ties with Pakistan at a time when relationship is under pressure over several issues.

McCain arrived in Pakistan on Saturday as the head of a congressional delegation including senator Lindsey Graham and senator Joe Donnelly for talks on how to reduce tensions between the two countries.

The U.S. Congress blocked Pakistan's purchase of subsidized F-16 fighter aircraft for its fight against insurgents in the difficult mountainous terrain in early May.

The administration was to pay 430 million U.S. dollars in subsidies through the U.S. foreign military's financing budget of the jets valued at nearly 700 million dollars. Pakistan's share was only 270 million dollars.

The decision had disappointed Pakistan as the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama had provisionally approved the sale of eight F-16s in February.

On May 21, a U.S. spy aircraft killed the Afghan Taliban chief, Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Pakistan's Balochistan province that sparked angry reaction in the country. Pakistan said the U.S. drone attacks are violation of the country's sovereignty and also harmed the efforts for Afghan peace.

Official and diplomatic sources said the objective of the visit of the top U.S. officials is to address to the concerns of Pakistan.

McCain held talks with Pakistan Army Chief, General Raheel Sharif, at the military headquarters in Rawalpindi, the military said.

"Pakistan and the U.S. need to cement relations in all dimensions and must strive for greater coordination for optimal deliverance of peace dividend in the region," the U.S. senator said in the meeting, according to a statement from the army's Inter-Services Public Relations.

Both sides discussed regional security with particular reference to Afghanistan situation, the statement said.

McCain, while acknowledging Pakistan's successes in major army operations in the tribal regions against Taliban militants, said Pakistan Army's achievements in counter terrorism operations are phenomenal and reflect Pakistan's determination to eliminate terrorism.

On his part the Pakistan Army Chief told the U.S. delegation that Pakistan's successes in war on terror, need for an effective border management across the long porous Pakistan-Afghanistan border to check illegal movement on either side of the border were also discussed.

Pakistan and Afghanistan involved in border skirmishes last month over what Pakistan says its efforts to secure the border to stop the illegal cross-border movement. Afghanistan wants Pakistan to take decisions about the border issue bilaterally. Endit