Mending ties: Munter for avoiding Salala-like tragedy
While describing the 2011 Nato air raid on Pakistan’s border posts in the Salala area of Mohmand Agency as a ‘tragedy’, the top US diplomat in Islamabad said on Sunday that ‘we should make sure such a tragedy never happens again’.
“It [Salala debacle] became an emotional issue on both sides. It took too long to get it resolved but both sides have learnt from this [as to] how we have to live with each other,” Cameron Munter, the US ambassador to Pakistan, said in an interview with Nadia Naqi on ExpressNews programme Takrar.
It’s good the ‘solution’ to the Salala episode was generally welcomed by peoples in both countries, he added.
Pakistan unblocked the Nato supply lines more than two weeks ago after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton offered a ‘near-apology’ to Islamabad over the death of two dozen troops in the Salala air strike. Asked why it took the Obama administration seven months to ‘apologise’, the American diplomat said that it was because emotions were at play ‘on both sides’. Ambassador Munter said the deadlock over the Nato routes affected not just Pakistan and the United States, but 50 other countries whose troops are fighting the militants ‘who want to attack Pakistani way of life’.
“The resumption [of Nato supplies] will help Pakistani soldiers as much as it’ll help US and Isaf soldiers in the common fight against militants,” he added. He said Islamabad and Washington could now start working out other issues that had been put on the backburner for seven months due to the stalemate over the Nato supply lines.
“It’s my understanding that our experts continue to talk with you about the ways we are going to implement the agreements that have made,” he added. The US diplomat said that Pakistan’s army, its parliament and its executive respect the United States and “we want to keep good relationships with them”. However, he admitted lack of trust between the two countries. “Unfortunately, some events took place during the last two years that added to the mistrust about the Americans and it will take a lot of time to heal,” he added.
(Read: Why it took so long for Nato supplies to reopen)
Correction: An earlier version of this article had incorrectly mentioned the year of the Salala air raid. This has been fixed.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 16th, 2012.
COMMENTS (12)
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Munter one of the best US ambassador ever
One can only hope that Pakistan has learned that shooting at American soldiers in the middle of the night has consequences. American battle tactics have been honed over many years so that ground troops usually have access to air power to provide an overwhelming response to attacks.
Thank You Mr. Munter. Many countries, individuals, families, tribes, got destroyed and livelihood suffered. Today citizen of world faced with higher food prices, lower productivity, many economies and countries destroyed. Mr. Munter, the challanges we face today are enermous as well as gigantic task lay ahead to correct. We need to do away with creative finances like hedge funds, greed driving oil and natural gas prices higher, eliminate higher education cost and wiping away smiles on face of new generation.
When you head back to your country please do good for humanity for simple people across oceans as well in your country. Citizen of World matter and its our collective responsibilites to give each good life as well as purposeful living. Its time to end war and to get back developing democratic values. America is about helping every individuals realizing the good goals, inculcating free human spirit, dreams to be realzed and hope not to be killed.
Enjoy the great New England autumn, fishing in many Pine Lakes, Bass Lakes, taste the chocolate coated candy apples, corn dogs and foot longs at your county fairs. We pray God to be kind on all of us. Help end the war for all of us.
He conveyed Pakistani sentiments to the Statement about drone attacks, that is why he has been transferred.
Correction: 2011 raid on Salala (not 2010)
What are the assurance and guarantee of your this statement Cameron Munter????? Because you have been so much more incredible and untrustworthy for Pakistani nation especially and your mostly statements are based on hypocrisy,falsehood,fabrication and embellishment and mostly you did against your commitments with Pakistan.
Salala incident is murky. Like millions of things in Pakistan, the truth will never come out.
Why would America fire on a check-post, without any reason? There's no reason to confuse a check-post with a terrorist hide out unless someone has been misguided on purpose.
If it was indeed a mistake, a friendly fire, then USA would have apologized immediately. The reason why USA did not apologize is because it was not a friendly fire. Either, there were terrorists alongside Pakistani soldiers, or Pakistani soldiers opened fire at USA.
For whatever reasons, the truth is not coming out and may never will.
Yes I agree .
What I don't understand about the Salala incident is why didn't the Pakistani forces fire a single shot in retaliation?
oo long to get it resolved but both sides have learnt from this [as to] how we have to live with each other,” Cameron Munter, the US ambassador to Pakistan, said in an interview with Nadia Naqi on ExpressNews programme Takrar.
Really, are you staying here for long? I thought US was leaving in 2014
No comment!!!
Kindly show respect to Pakistanis and you will surprise how much cooperation you will get. You kill and get emotional also on demand of apologis? Not fare by any standard. Love you all.