Pak hopes 'diplomat standoff' with US doesn't scuttle tripartite Afghan talks

Islamabad, Feb 14(ANI): Pakistan has expressed hope that its growing row with the United States over double murder-accused US official Raymond Davis will not scuttle its crucial talks with Washington and Kabul on efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

The US has postponed a high-level trilateral meeting among the US, Pakistan and Afghanistan that was scheduled to take place on February 23-24 in Washington, in what seems to be a retaliation against the continued judicial remand of Davis in Lahore.

"Islamabad is looking forward to the rescheduling of the trilateral meeting as soon as possible as such meetings yield positive results for peace and security," the Daily Times quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman, Abdul Basit, as saying.

The postponement is being seen as an American arm-twisting of Pakistan to release Davis.

Washington maintains that the US official has diplomatic immunity and shot the two Pakistanis in "self-defence" last month, when they tried to rob him.

Basit, however, declined to comment on what the escalating diplomatic spat meant for the Davis case or for Pakistan's relations with the United States. (ANI)