News
Monday, July 02, 2012
ISAF chief in Pakistan to discuss NATO supplyClinton hopes ties with Pakistan will improve
* Clinton tells Raja both countries are partners in war on terror and will succeed in defeating the common enemy
* PM says Islamabad committed to fight of terrorism
ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telephoned Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Sunday and expressed the hope that relations between the US and Pakistan would improve during his tenure as prime minister.
Clinton said Pakistan and the US were partners in the war on terror and would succeed in defeating the common enemy.
She said that Pakistan and the US are waging joint struggle against terrorism. She admired Pakistan for offering great sacrifices to root out this menace.
She also congratulated Raja on assuming office of the chief executive of Pakistan.
The prime minister thanked Clinton for her felicitation and said the government and people of Pakistan were committed to fighting out the scourge of terrorism. He added that Pakistan had suffered the most but its resolve to defeat the menace remained unwavering.
Meanwhile, ISAF commander General John Allen arrived in Pakistan to hold talks with the country’s leaders for the second time in a week.
Sources said Gen Allen is expected to discuss the NATO supply route during his trip. The discussions will include Pakistan’s demand of an apology over the Salala attack and respect for the country’s sovereignty.
Pakistan suspended NATO supplies following an attack on the Salala checkpost by NATO forces on November 26 last year.
On Wednesday, Allen held talks with army chief General Ashfaq Kayani and discussed attacks taking place on Pakistani checkposts from militants crossing over from the Afghan border.
Gen Kayani had urged Gen Allen to take strict action against the cross-border incursions.
The US has made it clear to Pakistan that both the countries have to work together to deal with the Taliban-linked Haqqani network responsible for attacks on coalition forces based in Afghanistan.
US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters at Pentagon the other day that Pakistan too had been a victim of terrorism and cited the recent killing of 17 Pakistani soldiers by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
“They lost 17 Pakistanis to the TTP. And so every day they too are the victims of terrorism,” he said, adding, “So we have a common enemy.” Panetta had also said the US continues to have discussions with Islamabad on reopening of the Ground Lines of Communications (GLOCs).
“There continue to be discussions in this area. We continue to have a line of communications with the Pakistanis to try to see if we can take steps to reopen the GLOCs,” Panetta said. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk