State Dept Briefing: US will not negotiate with al Qaeda

Toner says cooperation with Pakistani law enforcement continues, US in close contact with Weinstein’s family.

WASHINGTON:

US State Department spokesperson Mark Toner on Monday said that cooperation with Pakistan continued in the Warren Weinstein case but ruled out any negotiations with al Qaeda over elderly aid worker.

“We are very concerned about his safety and well-being,” Toner said at his daily press briefing, in response to a question about Weinstein’s appearance in an al Qaeda video for the first time since he was kidnapped in Pakistan.

The spokesperson said that cooperation with Pakistani law enforcement continues on that matter, adding that they were in close contact with Weinstein’s family. Toner went on to add that he could not say for certain if the video was credible, adding that analysis was underway to determine when the video was made.

Meanwhile, the White House said on Monday that it would not negotiate with al Qaeda over the fate of Weinstein.

“We cannot and will not negotiate with al Qaeda,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said. (Additional input from AFP)

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2012.