The meeting between Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the top U.S. commander in the region, Gen. James Mattis, and the top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen, could be a significant step toward rebuilding a relationship seen as key to U.S. hopes of withdrawing from Afghanistan.
Pakistan retaliated for the airstrikes by kicking the U.S. out of a base used by American drones and closing its border to supplies meant for NATO troops in Afghanistan. Public meetings between U.S. government and army officials, previously frequent visitors, have been sharply curtailed.
A Pakistan army statement said the men were to discuss the investigation of the American airstrikes in November on the Afghan border and ways to improve frontier coordination. The talks were being held at army headquarters in Rawalpindi, just outside the capital, Islamabad, a senior officer said on condition of anonymity because the talks were still under way.
Mattis said earlier this month the talks would be about opening the supply lines.
The U.S. has said the attacks were an accident, but Pakistan claimed they were deliberate.
Washington has expressed regret for the border incident but avoided a formal apology.
Obama met with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on the sidelines of a nuclear summit in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday. He said the U.S. and Pakistan are seeking a balanced partnership that respects Pakistan’s sovereignty “but also respects our concerns with respect to our national security and our needs to battle terrorists who have targeted us in the past.”