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Time ripe for Pakistan, Afghanistan to reset ties: Olson
By AFPISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have a historic opportunity to reset long-fraught ties following the election of democratic governments in both countries, the United States´ top diplomat in Islamabad said Wednesday.
Speaking ahead of newly-elected Afghan President Ashraf Ghani´s first official visit to Islamabad this weekend, Richard Olson praised confidence building measures by both sides including a Pakistan army operation in a Taliban stronghold along the countries´ shared border.
"I think there is quite genuinely a basis for a new relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Both sides are aware of this historical moment and making efforts to seize it," he said in a speech at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Islamabad.
"Also I would say the actions of the Pakistani army in clearing the North Waziristan agency I think is a very important step in all of this," he added, referring to the military offensive which began in June.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk