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In the vast marble building housing Pakistan's presidency, President George W. Bush walked away from the palace's pool, with its floating plastic flower displays and ducks, and gave a friendly slap on the back to his host, President Pervez Musharraf.
The message from the body language was warm and jocular.
By contrast, the language in press conference on Monday 04 last was opaque. On the most contentious issues with Pakistan - from civil nuclear co-operation to Mr Musharraf's record on democratic reform - there was little substance. The presidents' joint statement included a vague pledge to start a "strategic dialogue under the strategic partnership", an agreement to expand US-Pakistan economic ties, and a visit from Sam Bodman, US energy secretary, to "inaugurate an energy working group" to explore ways to meet Pakistan's energy needs.
After the hyperbole of Mr Bush's three-day trip to India and his desire to usher in a historic transformation in US-India relations, it was always going to be tough for Pakistan not to seem the ugly sister. Mr Musharraf could not write a narrative as compelling as that of the diplomatic breakthrough on a US-India civil nuclear agreement.
Foreign trips, the typical refuge of the embattled second-term president, are not usually Mr Bush's forte. Yet this one has given him a rare foreign policy success: the India nuclear agreement. For once his trip was also not overshadowed by events in the US; foreign policy questions dominated the press conferences.
While Mr Bush emphasised his "great friendship" with Mr Musharraf, in India he talked broadly about deepening strategic ties between the US and India, from trade to technology partnerships.
The civil nuclear accord offered the most potent example. Asked directly whether the US would offer Pakistan a civil nuclear deal, Mr Bush said: "I explained that Pakistan and India are different countries with different needs and different histories."
On democracy - the central foreign policy theme for Mr Bush - there were divisions. While India was embraced as the world's biggest democracy and lauded for its role in promoting democracies, Mr Bush pressed Mr Musharraf to stand by national elections in 2007. "President [Musharraf] understands these elections need to be open and honest," Mr Bush said.
Faced with criticism over his recent arrest of opposition leaders, Mr Musharraf defended his record and his continued role as military chief while also serving as president. But opposition leaders in the country called for the US to become more engaged in helping restore a fuller democracy.
Under syndication arrangement with FE
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