US wants relationship with Pakistan to win Afghan war

This was stated by the US Assistant Secretary of Defense, Doug Wilson while briefing the media at Pentagon Tuesday. It has been a difficult time in relationship with Pakistan, but all parts of our government are making every effort to normalise it, he said adding that the US wants to make sure that we can enjoy positive relationship on a variety of front with a key partner like Pakistan.He said that General John Allen, commander of NATO/ISAF forces in Afghanistan, had spoken to Gen. Kayani recently but there is no tangible information as to when the Pakistani troops will return to the border coordination posts or when the NATO supply routes are likely to be re-opened. We are hoping that supply routes would be re-opened as soon as possible, he opined.Doug Wilson assured that US will ensure in the meanwhile that our troops get the supplies what they need. It is, howeverm easier to do this through the land routes in Pakistan, he observed and also expressed ignorance about the new taxes supposed to be levied on trucks carrying the NATO supplies through the Pakistani territory.I am not aware of any new taxes to be levied on NATO trucks after the re-opening of supply routes. Discussions continue to go on between American officials and their Pakistani counter-parts, but I am not in a position to confirm the substance of these conversations at the moment, he pointed out.The US Assistant Secretary of Defence alos declined to offer any specific update on Pakistani demand to change the rules of engagement with US military, but retiterated the commitment to working with the partners in Pakistan. We will try to get the relationship with Pakistan back on a better level, he stressed.On another question about the ongoing investigation into NATO airstrike on November 26 that resulted in the death of 26 Pakistani solders, he said Pakistanis were invited to participate in the NATO airstrike investigation, but they have decided not be part of it till date. I dont have anything different to tell you about it, he stated.Regarding the controversy over the US drone that was shot-down by IRan and is now being demanded back, he said that he was unaware of the specifics or channels being used for getting the drone back from Iran, through Secretary Panetta has made clear that we are not optimistic about a positive answer.While refusing to comment on any intelligence or classified information regarding the data in the said drone, he also suggested that the US had not offered any apology to Iran during the communication asking for damaged drones return.He also offered no comment on the reports of a US drone crashing over Seychells, moments after Defense Secretary Leon Panettas departure from there. We have read the reports but are not in a position to confirm at present, he answered.- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC