Cooperation with Pakistan is extremely important: US

President Obama's spokesman acknowledges disagreements exist on some issues between the two countries.


October 08, 2011

WASHINGTON: The United States (US) believes Pakistan's cooperation remains vital to American national security even as it has issues at times with the country, the White House said amid reports of improved counter-terror collaboration between the two sides.

"The cooperation we have with Pakistan is extremely important in terms of our national security objectives, in terms of protecting Americans, in terms of taking the fight to al Qaeda, and that's why we continue to work with the Pakistanis and try to build on that cooperation," Jay Carney, President Obama's spokesman said.

(Read: Islamabad, Washington rebuilding ties: Clapper)

The White House press secretary was responding to a question at the daily briefing in the backdrop of the latest strains in US-Pakistan ties, appearing after Washington's assertions that Pakistani security organisations backed militant Haqqani group's activities in Afghanistan.

Islamabad has strongly rejected any such assertions.

At the briefing, Carney noted the United States – which has relied on Pakistan for enforcing security along the porous Afghan border as well as for transporting NATO and US supplies to landlocked Afghanistan in the decade-old conflict – has an "important" relationship with Pakistan.

"We have had enormous successes through our cooperation with Pakistan," the spokesman said, echoing President Obama's remarks at a press conference on Thursday that the US could not have succeeded in crushing al Qaeda in Pakistan-Afghanistan border region without Islamabad's cooperation.

(Read: 10 years on: Karzai admits security failure, Obama touts progress)

However, Carney's comments also acknowledged disagreements existing on some issues between the two countries. "We have also made clear that we have issues with Pakistan at times, and that it is a complicated relationship. And I think the President addressed that very clearly and fully yesterday in his press conference."

On Friday, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in an interview that the intelligence and security organisations of the two countries are rebuilding their ties and revealed that Islamabad has captured five al Qaeda suspects.

COMMENTS (10)

Ghaznavi | 12 years ago | Reply

No Uncle Sam!! Yankees need to go home and leave us alone.

sam | 12 years ago | Reply

We always ask US to respect our Army and GOP, but did we ever had a honest look into their allegations against ISI ? Did we ever as a nation thanked them for Flood relief operations that they did last year or did we ever appreciated any positives ?

we need to change our perception too .... what they see on TV is angry mobs/ protesters burning USA flags so how can we even expect them to respect us ? blaming a policy or certain part of US Gov is another thing but burning down their flag is offensive.

If Pakistan were in USA shoe and USA was in Pakistan's than we would ve bombed USA back to stone age long time ago .... all those who think that we are better of isolated than please think again cos that ll effect Pakistan most.

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