Talks Between U.S. And Pakistan Likely To Focus On Army

(Islamabad) -- Pakistani government and military officials are scheduled to hold talks in Washington, DC this week with their U.S. counterparts.
Pakistan's army is expected to be a main focus as Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discuss security cooperation in the battle against Islamist militants.
The Pakistani members are expected to ask for several things aimed at expanding military and economic cooperation from the U.S.
One request could be for helicopter gunships and drone technology along with additional sharing of intelligence.
The first ministerial-level strategic talks are set for tomorrow.
Despite returning to civilian rule in 2008, analysts say the army has not fully surrendered it dominance of key security issues.
The discussions will also deal with ways to help Pakistan's struggling economy and assist it in its effort to deal with water and energy crises.