The United States has observed a gradual shift in threat perception by the Pakistani leadership moving from India to extremist organizations within the country, an Obama Administration official has said.
"We have made no secret of the fact that we have told Pakistan clearly that we believe that the existential threat to Pakistan is not India; the existential threat to Pakistan involves extremism within its own borders," State Department spokesman, P J Crowley told media persons.
"We have seen some shifting of emphasis where Pakistan is, in fact, directing more of its effort against these extremist elements, that potentially affect us, but fundamentally affect Pakistan and the government itself," he said.
"That will continue to be an area of discussion between the United States and Pakistan, and also between the United States and other countries in the region," Crowley said in response to a question at his daily news conference.
Responding to a question, the spokesman said that there is no reason for Pakistan to fear from a relationship between Afghanistan and India.
Afghanistan would have relationships with neighbouring countries like Iran, Pakistan, India and others, he said.
"The real issue is, what is the texture and tone of those relations? We believe that there's a significant opportunity for cooperation, dialogue, trade, cultural exchanges, the kinds of things that countries have in this hemisphere with Mexico, Canada and other countries in our neighbourhood," he argued.
America wanted to encourage nations to have effective dialogue, cooperation with Afghanistan, but ultimately it was up to these countries to build the kind of relationship with Kabul, the spokesman said.
"There have been diplomatic contacts between Iran and Afghanistan. We recognise, you know, Afghanistan's need to have a dialogue with its neighbours. We have had concerns about Iran's meddling in Afghanistan, just as we've had concerns about, you know, other countries, you know, meddling in Afghanistan. That said, at the same time going back to the Bonn process in 2001, we also have seen where Iran has the ability to play a constructive role in helping Afghanistan advance," he said.
These countries have a wide variety of relationships with different groups who have the ability to play a positive or a negative role as Afghanistan advances, Crowley said.
"To the extent that India, Pakistan, Iran or other countries, you know, can play a role in shaping the future of Afghanistan, we will be talking to some of those countries about how to best do that," Crowley said.
"We have not ruled out that there are overlapping areas of interest that we have with Iran with respect to a stable and prosperous Afghanistan. We're not ruling out that as an area of potential dialogue, you know, with Iran. We also recognise that Afghanistan will also have to have build its own relationship with Iran going forward," he added.
