Grossman denies backdoor diplomacy in memo scandal

WASHINGTON: Special US representative for Pakistan-Afghanistan Marc Grossman Tuesday denied using any underhand maneuvers in ‘memogate scandal’, Geo News reported.

Grossman posted this denial in an interview to Voice of America (VOA) Urdu Service.

“In Husain Haqqani’s case, whatever Washington did was in all fairness overt and not covert, which involved no backdoor diplomacy”, Grossman said.

Cutting Haqqani loose was a commendable measure, he said going forward.

“Pakistan is duly rightful in reviewing ties with US in its Parliament”, added he.

Grossman called the parliamentary review of Islamabad's ties to Washington Pakistan's right as a sovereign country. He expressed hope that the two countries would be able to forge “a wide-ranging active relationship based on mutual interests and respect.”

Grossman acknowledged that Pakistan had a huge role to play in supporting Afghan peace efforts and said Washington has been trying to keep Islamabad informed of its efforts towards Afghan reconciliation and peace.

On Afghanistan, he said US wanted to pull itself out of any parleys that different Afghan factions intend to hold.

“ We don’t want to ignore anyone in the Afghan peace process, having said that we also want to see Afghan groups holding independent talks” said US envoy.

The U.S. special envoy also said the US was using “all of its contacts in the region” in order to get Afghans talking to Afghans.

Grossman did not confirm that the U.S. government is talking to the Taliban at this point, and disagreed with the contention that the United States is sidelining anyone in the Afghan reconciliation process.

Commenting on a New York Times article that the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai feels left out and is starting parallel talks with the Taliban in Saudi Arabia, Grossman called it “wrong” and said that how the Afghans talk to each other is “their business.” He stressed that the important thing is that “Afghans talk to Afghans.”

He reiterated the State Department's position that the U.S. wants to talk itself “out of a job” by getting the Afghans to talk to each other.