Troika sets agenda

ISLAMABAD - Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday apprised President Asif Ali Zardari of the issues that would be taken up during the meeting with the visiting US President Obamas National Security Advisor, James Jones.
The meeting is most likely to be held today (Thursday). Since Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was also present at a dinner at the Presidency, the troika sharpened Pakistans stance over the bilateral issues with the Obama Administration including the release of Coalition Support Fund.
According to official sources, the key envoy of the administration arrived here Wednesday evening and was scheduled to meet the President, the PM, and the COAS separately in the following couple of days as part of his three-day visit.
According to the sources, he would discuss regional situation with particular focus on the situation in Afghanistan, besides the new US Afghan policy and security issues.
When contacted Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar confirmed that the President had invited the PM, the COAS and the FM over an informal dinner at the Presidency.
He confined himself in saying that the security and the development in the region came under discussion.
Earlier the sources informed TheNation that the troika in the presence of the Foreign Minister also deliberated on Pakistans position in the most likely talks with India when it comes back to the composite dialogue in the coming days.