WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US, Sherry Rehman says statements like those recently given by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in India, reduce the space for narrowing bilateral differences between the US and Pakistan.
Defence Secretary Leon Panetta had said on Wednesday that the US would continue to attack al Qaeda in Pakistan’s tribal regions of FATA despite complaints from Islamabad that the drone strikes violate its sovereignty, and create a sense of anti-Americanism.
“We have made it very clear that we are going to continue to defend ourselves,” Secretary of Defence Panetta had said in India.
It was some of the strongest language used by a US official to describe the strained ties between Washington and Islamabad.
In a statement issued from the Embassy of Pakistan, Ambassador Rehman said, "this kind of public messaging from a senior member of the US Administration is taken very seriously in Pakistan, and reduces the space for narrowing our bilateral differences at a critical time in the negotiations.”
“It adds an unhelpful twist to the process and leaves little oxygen for those of us seeking to break a stalemate," she lamented.
COMMENTS (18)
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Why is so difficult to believe that the Govt of Pakistan supports the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and other such outfits? One can only have a proper discussion if people are not in denial. It is not new or surprising for Mr Panetta to say there are safe havens in Pakistan.
@B:
LOL, you're right...that's what happens when two-thirds of Hindustanis don't even have adequate sanitation - they spend their time posting hate messages on the internet instead. You have to pity them.
Hasan
Were the plane hijackers not trained in the USA to fly the planes? Don't those facilities/facilitators deserve drone attacks for training terrorists?!!!
@John B:
For a start, don't you Hindustanis have any idea how stupid you look when you send posts under fake 'English' names? Come on...this is a news board, not another call centre.
Secondly, you shouldn't worry so much about how we deal with the US - they have been two-faced with us for decades now, and frankly they're just getting a much-needed taste of their own medicine - you should worry more about what will happen to your sub-standard 'engineers' and asylum-seeking doctors as soon as the Talibaan are governing in Jalalabad again. Gujurat will seem like a picnic for you then.
Hasan
Pakistan is driving on the wrong side of the road.
How much space does it expect in the wrong lane ?
I welcome this taking off gloves thing from the US.
Sherry Rehman is a very smart woman, but unfortunately its the Army which controls foreign policy in Pakistan, she is already helpless, blaming the US will not change that fact.
Sherry will go down in history as the Foreign Minister who oversaw the complete collapse of US-Pakistan relations. What the long-term ramifications of this will be is anybody's guess.
President Obama is proving to be foolish letting Panetta mouth off Indecencies against Pakistan and that too while in India. Obama should have used Hillay Clinton's services to sort things out with Pakistan diplomatically. This is a great folly on his part.
It is no secret that Panetta is not a great fan of Pakistan. It is the Pakistan's misfortune that he happens to be the Secretary of Defense.
It is time to let go the ego and try to salvage this relationship. Throughout its history, Pakistan has depended on the US for money and arms. This sudden weaning could be disastrous.
Mr Panetta we are boxed in a corner and feel isolated and you are not giving us any point on the basis of which we can come out looking winner from this mess. These are all statement in reation to agreement between US and northern route for reverse transport. Lesson not learned from Raymond Davis episode that single issue foreign policy always comes back to haunt the rulers.
Madam, The same can be said of PAK. If any, the present US administration is soft on PAK especially after Abbotobad and went out of its way to protect PAK from backlash. PAK cannot harbor every wanted fellow in the world and claim sovereignty. PAK has to reclaim PAK for herself.
please come back... no point spending millions to maintain foreign outposts wen net result is zero.
Well, well, well...... hope Pakistan has a thought-through strategy here; not based on emotions or the notion of 'strategic depth'... and has consulted friends; BTW, do we have any...?
USA has too long soft pedalled and used diplomatic niceties in dealing with Pakistan. Its time to do some straight talking and action. By action I man, US tax payors must not subsidize IMF and WB loans.
US doesnt want reproachment. With US it is either my way or highway, there is no middle ground.
“It adds an unhelpful twist to the process and leaves little oxygen for those of us seeking to break a stalemate” The thing about loss of patience is that it's also attached to an unsaid(..most times) loss of caring about things like that. You can't really factor in most of the friendly things being said if they're generic, implied well meaning diplomacy variety. In other words, if its been said a million times and intended for an international audience, it's basically just protocol.