In the aftermath of the secret U.S. raid to kill Osama bin Laden,
Pakistani officials want a detailed agreement spelling out U.S. rules
of engagement inside Pakistan, officials in both countries say, but
Washington's refusal to sign a binding document threatens to create
another point of friction in the long-troubled relationship.
Pakistan
military officials want the U.S. to sign what is called a "memorandum
of understanding," an agreement they want to include such details as
the number of CIA operatives working in Pakistan, notification before
U.S. drone strikes, intelligence gathered and a written promise about
Pakistan's role if al-Qaida's new leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, is found in
Pakistan.
"There can be no more gray areas," said a senior
Pakistani military official who, like others, spoke on the condition of
anonymity because they are not permitted to speak publicly about
diplomatic negotiations.
The surge in trouble this year between
Pakistan and the U.S. began with the February killing of two Pakistanis
by Raymond Davis, a CIA-contracted American spy working without
Pakistan's knowledge. Davis pleaded self-defense but it took weeks of
wrangling before he was released in exchange for so-called "blood
money" paid to the dead men's relatives.
The bin Laden raid
further infuriated the Pakistani military, which saw it as a violation
of Pakistani sovereignty, and it now feels it needs the agreement to
ensure it would be involved in — or be able to stop — any similar U.S.
attacks in the future. The agreement would also allay fears in
Islamabad that the CIA is operating behind Pakistan's back, and shore
up the military's reputation, which was badly battered when the U.S.
helicopters slipped into Pakistan air space undetected for the bin
Laden attack.
But former and current American officials say the
U.S. will not commit any specifics to paper because it could limit the
flexibility of its operations. Instead, the U.S. is preparing a broad
statement of principles that could be completed in the coming weeks.
"There
will not be a (memorandum of understanding) covering all aspects of the
relationship with annexes spelling out permitted behaviors," said a
senior U.S. official. "There is, however, the possibility of a brief
bilateral statement of principles that would identify common interests
and goals."
Another senior U.S. official said that while Pakistan
would not get all the information it wants about U.S. intelligence
operations, it gets much more than Washington gives most other
countries.
Similar negotiations are taking place between the U.S.
and Afghanistan, with Afghan officials seeking detailed guarantees on
the future of U.S. troops and aid, but Americans insisting on a vague
agreement.
In Pakistan, the U.S. is negotiating with the civilian
government, it's not clear whether the country's powerful military
establishment would veto a broad statement of principles.
Relations
between Pakistan's spy agency, the ISI, which falls under the military
command, and the CIA hit rock bottom after the bin Laden raid.
Pakistanis were particularly angered by then-CIA Director Leon
Panetta's stinging comments the ISI was either incompetent or complicit
in not finding bin Laden, who was hiding not far from Islamabad. Two
senior Pakistani officials, including a former security officer, said
Panetta sought to assuage Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani
with an apology following those statements.
Yet Panetta's words
continue to reverberate. Pakistani officials fret that there were will
be repeat of the bin Laden raid if al-Zawahri is found in Pakistan.
They also worry about the new director of the CIA, David Petraeus, who
Pakistani officials say has a frosty relationship with Kayani.
Petraeus
wanted the ability to take the fight into Pakistan while serving as
military commander in Afghanistan, according to a Pakistani official
says and a former senior U.S. official. Now that he has the authority
to run covert operations at the CIA, the Pakistani official says his
government fears he might decide to ramp up unilateral operations in
Pakistan.
Without an agreement, Pakistani officials say there were will only be an atmosphere of distrust.
But
U.S. officials counter that while relations have sunk very low, the CIA
and the ISI have never stopped sharing intelligence, with one saying
the relationship is getting "incrementally better." They point to
information sharing with the FBI from local law enforcement after the
Aug. 13 kidnapping of an American in the Pakistani city of Lahore.
And on important fronts like securing Pakistan's nuclear weapons, the U.S. and Pakistan continue to cooperate. AP
