'US, Oz discussed holding up a mirror to Pak to act on terror'

London, Dec 5 (PTI) With Pakistan unwilling to turn away
from its "obsessive focus" on India, the US and Australia had
discussed the possibility of holding up a "mirror" to warn
that country what it would look like in five years if they
don't act against terror, according to a leaked American
document by WikiLeaks.
The volatile situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan was
discussed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the
then Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, according to a
confidential document on their 75-minute luncheon meeting in
Washington on March 24, 2009.
"The Secretary (Clinton) and PM Rudd discussed the need
to turn Pakistan away from its "obsessive focus" on India,
towards the problems in the west of the country, noting even
total success in Afghanistan would be unraveled if Pakistan
were to fall apart," according to the leaked cable published
in Britain's Guardian newspaper.
"Rudd indicated Australia was willing and able to help,
especially in special operations and counterinsurgency areas,
as soon as Pakistan was willing to accept help, but argued the
necessary economic development assistance and capacity-
building in Pakistan's security forces could only happen once
the elites came to recognise the problem.
"The best way to cause such a realisation would be to
hold up a mirror showing what Pakistan would look like in five
years if no action is taken. While China would undoubtedly be
reluctant to do more, Rudd continued, a similar China-Pakistan
mirror-holding exercise would be beneficial as well," the
document said.
"The Secretary agreed China needed to be more engaged
in Afghanistan and Pakistan, opining Chinese leaders were
growing concerned that extremists' success in Pakistan could
be a harbinger of similar success in China's west," the
document said, apparently referring to the threat posed by
Uygur militants against Beijing's rule in the oil-rich
Xinjiang. PTI AKJ

MHM