News
Thursday, April 26, 2012
US envoy to take up tense ties in Pakistan
WASHINGTON: A US envoy headed to Pakistan on Wednesday in a new bid to ease months of severe strains between the war partners, after lawmakers in Islamabad called for steps, including an end to drone strikes. Marc Grossman, the US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, was flying late on Wednesday to Islamabad to discuss the recent parliamentary review of relations with the United States, the State Department said. “This is a bilateral consultation about how we can improve our relationship along all of the lines that have been difficult,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. Nuland declined to go into details about whether Grossman would discuss all of Pakistan’s demands but said: “I think he’s open to working through the results of the parliamentary review with the Pakistani government.” “We had been waiting for that review to be concluded before we could fully re-engage. So this is our opportunity to do that,” she said. afp
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk