The US and Pakistan seem to have different priorities for their talks in Washington.

For Pakistan, the first priority is to elicit US support for a large financial bailout package. For the United States, non-proliferation is high on the agenda.

While Pakistan is interested in putting "special focus" on the Kashmir issue and an active American role in it, US officials want to discuss Afghanistan.

Pakistan's cooperation on Afghanistan mainly involves pressing the Taleban to co-operate in bringing Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden to trial, and fighting against terrorism and narcotics.

Upset by the Taleban refusal to expel Osama Bin Laden, US officials insist peace in the war-shattered country cannot be achieved without negotiation.

Osama Bin Laden: America's most wanted

They also insist on the establishment of a broad-based and representative government capable of winning international recognition and of addressing issues such as terrorism, human rights, women's rights and drugs.

In the US view, Pakistan can play a significant role in achieving this by using its influence on the Taleban.

But how does Pakistan itself look at the situation?

Insignificant relations

Islamabad denies any great influence on the Taleban. It portrays its relationship with the Taleban as a mutual friendship with a group which has its own mind and identity.

This explanation has not satisfied Afghanistan's neighbours and other countries involved in the conflict.

They see Pakistan as an active sponsor of the Taleban, and most have accused Pakistan of direct military involvement in the Taleban advances in northern Afghanistan.

Pakistan: Seen as having active role in Afghan warfare

Last September in New York, Pakistan found itself isolated at the meeting of the so-called "Six-plus-two" group, which includes Afghanistan's six neighbours plus Russia and the US.

It tried hard nonetheless to reduce tensions with Iran, to avert a possible war between Iran and Taleban and to assure Afghanistan's other neighbours that there is no Taleban threat to them.

But these diplomatic attempts had little success. And inside Afghanistan, Pakistan's efforts have been complicated by the continuing fighting between the Taleban and northern forces and Taleban opposition to the formation of a broad-based government.

Silent pressure

What the US, like the other countries in the Six-plus-two group, would like to see is a new and responsive approach by Pakistan to their concerns.

Now the question is whether Pakistan is ready to join hands in fighting "terrorism" and press the Taleban to enter negotiations?

Some sources in Pakistan believe that in the absence of a serious engagement by the US, Pakistan has not so far felt enough pressure to make it change its Afghan policy.

That policy is still under the control of Pakistani military intelligence (ISI or Inter Services Intelligence), which apparently believes in a total victory by the Taleban.

US officials say they have no policy of their own on Afghanistan and only support the efforts of the UN and the Six-plus-two group.