Kerry seeks to ease tensions with Pakistan

He called Pakistan and the United States strategic partners with a common enemy as he sought to ease distrust in the wake of the killing of Osama bin Laden. Osama Bin Laden also violated the sovereignty, he added.Kerry said he had held constructive conversations with Pakistans leaders but reiterated grave concerns over the presence in Pakistan of the Al-Qaeda terror chief and sanctuaries of US adversaries in Afghanistan.More importantly I explained that I am here with the backing of President Barack Obama, US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter and their team to find a way to rebuild the trust between our two countries, he said.We must never lose sight of this essential fact. We are strategic partners with a common enemy in terrorism and extremism. Both of our countries have sacrificed... so much that it just wouldnt make sense to see this relationship broken or abandoned, he added.He said about 35,000 people and 5,000 Pakistani troops have laid down their lives in war on terror. It was very important to launch the Abbottabad operation. Osama was spotted in Tora Bora but the administration decided to engage local forces and Osama escaped to Pakistan, Kerry reminded. He assured US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would soon announce her schedule to visit Pakistan.