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Summary The US administration hopes Pakistan can complete review of bilateral relations soon.
The United States administration is hopeful that Pakistan can complete the process of parliamentary review on Pak-US relations, despite the internal crisis including the ongoing contempt of court proceedings against the countrys Prime Minister, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, in the Supreme Court and forward the recommendations in this regard to the United States.These recommendations are likely to form the basis of future relationship between both countries, after the differences peaked in the wake of NATO attack on Salala check-post in Mohmand Agency on November 26 that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. The US officials have been maintaining that they could only comment on any issue concerning Pakistan after having a thorough look at the parliamentary review recommendations in due course.Briefing the reporters on Friday, the US State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland said we are waiting for completion of Pakistani parliaments internal review before we are able to discuss these issues. When asked if Pakistan had given any potential timeline to US officials for forwarding the said recommendations, she said only Pakistanis can answer when they are going to forward these recommendations, but we are going to remain patient.On another question whether the US administration was concerned that the internal issues being dealt with by the Pakistani regime, case in the Supreme Court being on top of it, could delay the review process, Ms. Nuland disagreed and said that the indications being given to the US was slightly different. From our contacts with Pakistan, we are getting the sense that they are trying to complete the review despite these issues.Regarding the headway on US relations with Pakistan, she said that there was nothing new to report on relations with Pakistan or reopening of NATO supply routes. She also declined to comment on a question whether US is still asking any questions from Pakistan about Osama bin Ladens presence in Abbottabad.- Contributed By Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC
