Salala air raid: US noncommittal on formal apology
Little said that counterterrorism co-operation with Pakistan is on-going.
WASHINGTON:
The United States is still noncommittal on a Pakistani demand for a formal apology on the killing of two dozen Pakistani troops in last year’s air raid on border posts in Mohmand Agency.
Acting Assistant Defence Secretary George Little said on Tuesday that Washington expressed deep regret and offered condolences on the killing of Pakistani troops. He was asked at a Pentagon news briefing if the US would offer a formal apology as demanded by Islamabad.
Little, however, hoped that Islamabad would soon lift the blockade of supply routes for thousands of US-led Nato troops fighting a deadly Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.
“Counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan is ongoing,” he said and added that they were working closely with Pakistan to renew the relationship.
Pentagon spokesperson Captain John Kirby, who was also present at the briefing, said that the US was committed to an ongoing dialogue on a full range of security issues. “We believe we share common interests with Pakistan. The relationship is getting to where it needs to be.” He said that terrorism was a common concern for US and Pakistan. “The same terrorists that come after us, go after the Pakistanis,” he said, saying that terrorists were responsible for the deaths of thousands of Pakistanis.
(Read: Resetting Pakistan-US engagement)
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2012.
The United States is still noncommittal on a Pakistani demand for a formal apology on the killing of two dozen Pakistani troops in last year’s air raid on border posts in Mohmand Agency.
Acting Assistant Defence Secretary George Little said on Tuesday that Washington expressed deep regret and offered condolences on the killing of Pakistani troops. He was asked at a Pentagon news briefing if the US would offer a formal apology as demanded by Islamabad.
Little, however, hoped that Islamabad would soon lift the blockade of supply routes for thousands of US-led Nato troops fighting a deadly Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.
“Counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan is ongoing,” he said and added that they were working closely with Pakistan to renew the relationship.
Pentagon spokesperson Captain John Kirby, who was also present at the briefing, said that the US was committed to an ongoing dialogue on a full range of security issues. “We believe we share common interests with Pakistan. The relationship is getting to where it needs to be.” He said that terrorism was a common concern for US and Pakistan. “The same terrorists that come after us, go after the Pakistanis,” he said, saying that terrorists were responsible for the deaths of thousands of Pakistanis.
(Read: Resetting Pakistan-US engagement)
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2012.