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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Army Chief, General Raheel Sharif, will visit the United States next month for talks on security and professional matters, the military said Monday.
This will be Gen. Sharif’s first visit to the United States as army chief, a position he assumed on Nov. 29, 2013.
“The COAS (Chief of the Army Staff) will proceed for a bilateral visit to USA in November on invitation of the U.S. During the meeting the COAS will hold meetings with senior U.S. security officials,” an army statement said. The army did not offer more details on the visit.
Reports say Gen. Raheel Sharif will be paying the visit on invitation from Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey.
The visit is seen very important in view of the withdrawal of the most of the foreign troops from Afghanistan as Pakistan would be one of the major players in the peace process.
The visit also marks the first formal consultations between the top military brass of the two countries after Sept. 30, when the United States and Afghanistan signed a bilateral treaty, Pakistan leading newspaper Dawn reported.
Officials in Washington say that there will be a thorough discussion on strategic issues during Gen Sharif’s visit.
“The visit will focus on strategic issues. Tactical issues are discussed at lower levels,” the daily quoted an unnamed official in Washington when asked what will be the focus of the planned talks.
“The purpose of the visit is to take military-to-military relations to a higher level,” he added.
