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US wants relations with Pakistan 'to get back to normal'
State Department says US still 'talking' to Pakistan at all levels, expresses concern over Iran-Pak pipeline.
US State Department spokesperson says some funds to Pakistan have been stopped. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE
WASHINGTON DC: The US State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, on Tuesday said that following the passage of the defence authorisation act, the United States would now have to certify that cooperation is going well in order to release military funds. It’s essentially a continuation of some of the issues that we’ve had before.
The spokesperson said that the United States was still talking to the Government of Pakistan at “all levels.”
“Following the New Year holiday, our ambassador Cameron Munter’s been back in touch with the Pakistanis. We want to get back to normal and get into a full counterterrorism relationship again. We think that’s important not only for US security but for Pakistani security and for the security of the entire region. So those conversations will continue,” said Nuland.
The spokesperson, when asked about President Zardari’s statement that Pakistan would go ahead with the Iran pipeline deal despite US reservations, said “we’ve made absolutely clear over many months now our concerns about this deal, and we will continue to talk to Pakistan about it. You know, were it to go forward, how it might be impacted – again, this is the kind of conversation that we have to have with Pakistan and that we’re starting to have now.”
Talk in the State Department briefing also turned towards the memogate case and the fallout from the resignation of former ambassador Husain Haqqani. While the State Department spokesperson said that they had been following the matter, she stated maintained that it was an internal matter for Pakistan.
When a reporter at the briefing pressed further, the spokesperson added. “With regard to this case, with regard to other judicial proceedings in Pakistan, that we want to see judicial proceedings go forward in accordance with the Pakistani constitution, including the protections on citizens’ rights, and in accordance with international law.”
Asked about aid figures released by the Foreign Office and that Pakistan had not received Coalition Support Funds since June 2010, and only $400 million from Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill funds in 2011, the spokesperson said that while she did not have the exact figures, “You do know that some of the money on the military-to-military side, it was difficult to spend because some of those programs had been suspended and because of the state of the relationship in counterterrorism cooperation. We’ve talked about that at length.”
Reader Comments (48)
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Yaa right !!
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“We want to get back to normal and get into a full counterterrorism relationship again. We think that’s important not only for US security but for Pakistani security”
not really. the most important thing for Pakistani security is for US to get out of this region!
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Why is the IRAN pipeline of so much interest to the US?
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“We’re concerned about the Iran-Pakistan pipeline deal”.
No other way to say this but, shut up, please. Who is America to dictate us?
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Thanks for the explaination madam. Of course the relationship would be normalized as soon as we go back to Mush’s era cooperation. We are already bluffing with the Iran pipeline. With the arrest of Iranians we have started moving in the “right” direction. The elected govt or Zardari cannot be in the way of new cooperation with the US. He can be easily tried and impeached by our independent judiciary. Once again the military aid would start flowing with the dawn of New Year.
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atleast they are feeling the pain now.not as much as we do, but still they feel something for thefirst time among our relations.
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Then say you are sorry and won’t disrespect Pakistan again.
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The back channels have been buzzing for long while, nothing new !
But for Pakistanis their Ghairat issues are about to shown for what they really are ! Full of BS, for public consumption !!!
Things are never going to be the same again, and neither is the money supply line to Pakistan or trust between the parties concerned!
The real long term loser is going to be Pakistan ! USA will walk away from this mess, with wounded pride perhaps, but will Pakistan survive the fallout from this ?
Once again the Pakistanis have called a wrong bluff, and a very expensive one too, as their basic economic and political survival is at stake!!!
So much for their Ghairat, when they have sold themselves to anyone with $.
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Define “get back to normal”?
I don’t know that what they mean by normal. but as far as us Pakistani people are concerned we simply want minimalist relations with USA limited to only trade and consular services.
Take your AIDS, your boots, your contractors, your gega sized embassy, your “technicians”, your supply routes and everything else back to your country.
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1) Absolutely the choice of ambassador is an internal affair. Ambassadors exist to represent a nation’s government. If that nation loses confidence that an ambassador is doing so he should be promptly recalled.
In H.H.’s case, the fact that the military squawked and H.H. departed was the surest indicator of who really runs Pakistan.
2) I don’t want relations with Pakistan to “get back to normal”. “Normal” was bad. Perhaps its better not to certify and thus compel Pakistan to raise taxes from Pakistani citizens rather than American ones.
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And sanctions are the best way to get things back to normal?
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Oh State Department, give it a rest already and stop living in fantasy land! There can never be a “normal” relationship with Pakistan as Pakistan is not a “normal” country. The populace hates America with a passion, religious extremism permeates all levels of society, and the government and military are duplicitous. The strategy should be containment, not an alliance, as a true alliance with them is impossible.
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Read my lips………. >%#~^ off!
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Give them dollars in cash and later don’t see back
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America needs to run its foreign policy using its brain not its brawns, which seems to be in short supply lately.
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It takes two to tango. Pakistan and the US have both committed grave errors.
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You took our bread and butter ($700,000,000) and asking us to open the boder? hahahaha you are dreaming madam… Our rickshaws and buses are not moving and you want us to see your truckfull of goods drive infront of us? hahahaha no madam, you are dreaming…
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I hope Pakistan stay away from this friend like worst enemy of Pakistan and peace of the world.
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Pakistan should put its own interest on priority, the fact is that neighbors can not be changed, we can not live while surrounded by too much foes. Out of our four neighboring countries we have friendly relations only with China. On the behest of USA we never made friendly relationship with Iran.
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Wow Americans; No compromise for Pakistan’s interest,no matter what we suffer from, we must continue compromising as per American’s desire.Only Iran,Pakistan and China will teach the last lesson soonRecommend
‘to get back to normal’…hahahahaha, talk to our hands :P
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How is counter-terrorism linked to Gas Pipeline?
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@Mubashir:
I thing one must be realistic,never forget the past the way we are being treated and black mailed suffering to due double gaming ie what all TTP is doing in our country is a joint venture of USA,UK,India,Saudi and UAE.
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so you won’t apologize or accept the whole responsibility for the NATO airstrike, you want to cripple Pakistan’s economy just because the pipeline comes from a country you don’t like, you violate Pakistan’s sovereignty at every single chance you get and in the end you say you want ties to get back to normal! * scoffs* fat chance!
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Flow of events:
1 – Pak-NATO relations hit rock bottom after salala
2 – NATO shows the finger to Pak and goes to NDN
3 – Russia outmanoeuvers NATO by announcing a new treaty in CSTO (no foreign base without consent of all members)
4 – US releases Mulah Fazal (one of the most controversial Talibs – responsible for genocide to appease Pak Est.)
5 – now NATO crawling back to Pak – time for Pak to show finger to US?….nah – we will just kiss and make up!
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@Proud Pakistani Pakthoon
Most of our textile exports go to US and EU, so if Iranian gas is used by our textile industry, US and EU won’t buy.
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@hedgefunder
please tell, what you are saying, to USA.
USA should end allt he relation with Paksitan and stop all the aid…and then…
We can wait and see …who gonna lose more ..PAK or US :)
your NATO has already started to feel the heat Sire,
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Back to normal in USA context means: Imposing sanctions, halting delivery of contracted equipment like F-16, etc. etc.
Musharraf was confident that USA will not leave this time. But time has proven him wrong. Again, it was proved that relations with US last as long as they are in desparate need of our resourses.
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Is that an order?
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the normal relationship should means security of people of Pakistan just like people of US, both countries share actions of terrorists equally.
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What is “normal” relationship between America and Pakistan? Why is America concerned with what Pakistan decides in its foreign relations? The US may control and dictate Pakistan’s foreign relations only if it accepts Pakistan as its colony. What if tomorrow it were “concerned” with any deal Pakistan may enter into with China or, say, if Pakistan decided to export its rice to Pyongyang.
Pakistanis would forget at their peril that the statement of Aimal Kansi’s prosecutor and Washington Times’ cartoon reflect the general view of US lawmakers and administration towards us.Recommend
Yeah really??… Normal is going to be Suicide Attacks, Killing Civilian from Drone and other security issues. We don’t want to be back to normal.. US have said that Pakistan Supply Line is not important they can live like that so can we… So Why they want relations to be Normal again..
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US can take any risk to reopen this route even an attack in India.. Blackmail ISI and Pak Army by this.Recommend
@Light:
Please stop glotting in your self importance ! No one is feeling the heat as much as Pakistan will be without Aid and other Assistance !!
All these merry men, who are your assets are simply going to create mayham in this region only as, USA is likely to withdraw its operations in due course.
The USA may end up with wounded pride and failure of their objectives in the region, but Pakistan will have to deal with these assets !!!!
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why they are worried about iran’s gas pipe ine..
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Cool; How about an apology for a start?
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@faraz:
US is the biggest consumer/buyer /importer/ of oil. isn’t Iran surviving without exporting its oil to the US?
Than why cant the Pakistani textile industry survive?
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@CK:
“Why is the IRAN pipeline of so much interest to the US?”
Very simple! Iran is under sanctions. If a company from our or any other country does business with Iran then that company also comes under the gambit of International sanctions. That’s the reason why National Bank of Pakistan and OGDC refused to fund the project just several days ago.
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@Roflcopter:
“…the most important thing for Pakistani security is for US to get out of this region!”
Speak for just your little country. No one appointed Pakistan “thekedar” of the region. Your neighours have no problem with US and NATO countries in the region!
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i dont think so ,,in present circumstances its very difficult.. and people of pak avoid this friend ship
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@G. Din:
Your neighours have no problem with US and NATO countries in the region!
I guess either China, Iran, Afghanistan aren’t Pakistan neighbors or you havent recently watched current affairs program on tv called news.
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@CK:
All the war mongering is about economy guy.
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People and International Media must be brain dead as they appear to continue believing in the USA invented crap called “terrorism”.
“Terrorists” are humans. USA used the word “Injuns” to indiscriminately kill the true Americans. USA used the word “Gooks” to kill the communist Vietnamese. USA is using the word “Terrorist” to kill, murder, assasinate and torture Muslims.
USA is a rogue, barbarian country and nation.
When will the World learn not to fall into the Anglo-Saxon verbal trap of “Give the dog a bad name and shoot it (with all justification).”
Pakistan will be stupid to have any silly “counter-terrorism” alliance with USA as it will mean the end and destruction of Pakistan by its own hands as Pakistan is full of, according to USA definition, “Muslim terrorists”.
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back to normal..meaning back to suicide bombings and drone attacks. We have been leaving peacefully for a few weeks now so no back to normal. This is normal.
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Back to basics.
So much for the melodrama.
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@Moise:
“I guess either China, Iran, Afghanistan aren’t Pakistan neighbors or you havent recently watched current affairs program on tv called news.”
That is precisely the point. Pakistan has no business speaking in the name of all those countries. Everyone has its own national interests which most positively don’t converge with a pariah nation’s national interests. Pakistanis drag “the region” in to give themselves some respectability when everything they are now known for is dishonourable!
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Dear “Roflcopter”
You are well within your rights to state your opinion. But at the same time, it is imperative that we keep anger under control and think logically for the sake of the region. We have mutual interests in the region, and our sacrifices prove that we are fully committed to achieving our common objectives. The recent months have seriously tested our alliance but the thing to note is that despite all the challenges, our governments are still trying to recover and move forward. The terrorists would love to see us part ways and have an open route for their acts of terror. We certainly do not want that and in fact we’ve made too many sacrifices to now let them off the hook. The job is not done yet and our cooperation is vital to the stability of the region. Our partnership gives us the upper hand over the terrorists and shows that we can overcome all challenges for the sake of achieving the ultimate objective of defeating terrorism.
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Considering that it is not Tiger Iran, USA just has to whistle to Poodle Pakistan to get things back to normal. Get it?
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