US pulls negotiators from Pakistan, no supply deal

In the meantime, US Embassy military officials will discuss the matter with Pakistani officials: Pentagon.

WASHINGTON: The United States is withdrawing its team of negotiators from Pakistan without securing a long-sought deal with Islamabad to allow trucks to again supply NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Monday.      

The decision is the latest sign of troubled ties with Islamabad and was announced just days after Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the United States was reaching the limits of its patience because of the safe havens Pakistan offered to insurgents.

Pakistan's envoy to the United States had warned that Panetta's comments last Thursday in Kabul were unhelpful to efforts to narrow the differences between the two countries and came at a critical moment in negotiations.

Pentagon spokesman George Little said the decision to withdraw the negotiating team was not imposed by Pakistan. He said the team of negotiators had been there for about six weeks and deserved a rest.

"I believe that some of the team left over the weekend and the remainder of the team will leave shortly," Little told reporters. "This was a US decision."

Pakistan closed ground supply routes through its territory last year to protest a cross-border NATO air attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

As a result, NATO has turned to countries to the north of Afghanistan for land routes as the US-led alliance begins a withdrawal of its forces from the country next year.

But resupplying troops in Afghanistan through the northern route is about 2-1/2 times more expensive than shipping items through Pakistan, a US defense official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Little acknowledged that securing a deal with Pakistan remained a priority and said the team of negotiators could return at any moment. In the meantime, military officials attached to the US Embassy in Islamabad would be able to discuss the matter with Pakistani officials.

"We will continue to work through the (ground supply route) matter with Pakistan. And the members of the team that are leaving, or have, left are prepared to return to Islamabad at any moment to continue discussions in person," Little said.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Commander Bill Speaks said that technical consultations "had largely been completed" by the team, which had been in Pakistan for over 45 days, "so it has been determined that they can return home."

Speaks seconded Little, saying that the US "is ready to send officials back to Islamabad when the Pakistani Government is ready to conclude the agreement, and the Chargé d'Affairs remains in place to continue working the process," adding that the United States' goal is to complete an agreement as soon as possible.

Some progress made

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters at a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said that they have made some progress in the negotiations.

In response to a question, she said that the issues between Pakistan and the United States remained difficult.

Nuland though declined to comment on Pakistan's demand for an apology. In response to a question, the State Department spokesperson said that there had been some members of the State Department in the negotiating team earlier to discuss some aspects, but they had left earlier.