Updated on
Summary The US is ready to discuss the recommendations of parliamentary review with Pakistan.
Reacting to the recommendations following a lengthy parliamentary review in Pakistan, the spokesperson of the US State Department, Victoria Nuland has said Thursday that the American administration had gone through the draft of these recommendations and was ready to engage with Pakistan to discuss these further.We have seen that the Pakistani parliament has approved its Guidelines for Revised Terms of Engagement with USA/NATO/ISAF and General Foreign Policy., she stated adding that the US government respected the seriousness with which parliament’s review of US-Pakistan relations had been conducted.Expressing the resolve to rebuild previously tense relations with Pakistan, Ms Nuland said that they sought a relationship with Pakistan that is enduring, strategic, and more clearly defined.We look forward to discussing these policy recommendations with the Government of Pakistan and continuing to engage with it on our shared interests, she reiterated.On the other hand, the White House and Pentagon declined to react to the parliamentary review recommendations and left the job to StateDepartment in response to Dunya News queries. It must be noted that the US administration had previously also hinted at the intention to work through the contentious issues with Pakistan after the completion of review process.The review had started after the tragic NATO airstrike at Salala check-post inside Pakistani territory on November 26 last year that resulted in killing 24 Pakistani soldiers. In the interim, NATO supplies from Pakistani ground routes were suspended and civilian as well as military cooperation at several levels took a serious beating.On Thursday, the parliaments session, also addressed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, decided to attach strings for resumption of supplies, like not allowing transportation of arms and ammunition besides seeking apology for Salala airstrike and the end of drone attacks.- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC
