News
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Pakistan talking again to US-led coalition: NATO
KABUL: The top NATO commander in Afghanistan says he’s seeing signs of a possible lifting of Pakistan’s communications blackout imposed on the US-led coalition after NATO airstrikes killed two dozen Pakistani forces. Marine Gen John Allen tells reporters at a news briefing in Kabul that he recently spoke on the phone with Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. Allen says that by the end of the call on Monday, both expressed a commitment to work through the incident. He says he believes Pakistan will soon send liaison officials back to NATO headquarters in Kabul that were pulled after the November 26 incident. Allen says the two did not discuss when Pakistan would reopen its border crossings to NATO convoys transporting supplies for troops in Afghanistan. Allen made his comments shortly after Defense Secretary Leon Panetta arrived in Afghanistan unannounced to talk with commanders about the war. In addition to chilly relations with Pakistan, the US also is grappling with ongoing plans to withdraw tens of thousands of troops in coming months, handover security to Afghan forces and the impact of potentially big budget cuts to the military. The supply routes carry roughly 30 percent of the fuel, food and other items needed for troops in Afghanistan. The blockades have forced the US to use alternative northern routes into Afghanistan that are more costly and take longer. ap/daily times monitor
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk