The United States and Pakistan are discussing joint counterterrorism campaigns in yet another sign of the two countries putting behind them recent fissures in relations.
But they are far from finalising anything yet, with officials telling The Wall Street Journal the talks can at best be described as promising.
The campaigns would target the Haqqani network sheltering in Pakistan (something the US wants) and Pakistani Taliban based in Afghanistan (which Islamabad wants).
Joint campaigns would entail intelligence sharing, which the US has been loathe to do fearing leaks. Pakistan had no clue about the Abbottabad raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
These plans were discussed with visiting Pakistani ISI chief Lt general Zahir ul-Islam, who had earlier deferred an invitation by the CIA to visit Washington.