US confirms sour relation with Pakistan

Washington, Jun 16: After Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, there were hints that the relation between US and Pakistan were souring. Taking it a step further, Pakistan's ISI arrested five CIA informants, following which US confirmed the fact that there were "challenges" in the relation between both the countries.

According to US officials, the security cooperation with Pakistan remains in best interests of both the countries.

Jay Carney, a spokesperson at the White House called US' relation with Pakistan "complicated" and said that anti terrorism cooperation between US and Pakistan was important to the US.

"I think we've been upfront about challenges in the relationship. But we've also been consistent in saying that Pakistan and the US need each other," said Mark Toner, State Department Spokesman about the fact that both countries were continuing to "work through" issues.

"We need to work through these challenges because it's in both of our long term, and short term frankly, interests to do so,"he said.

Despite of the fact that the arrests of five CIA informers by ISI led to outrage among US lawmakers, US military's top official called ties between both countries as "complicated" but important.

"Some of the criticism is more than warranted," said Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday Jun16 commenting on the relationship with Pakistan.

"The US is in the midst of building a relationship with Pakistan, which was "badly broken" in the '80s and '90s. And we are back," said Mullen. "Nobody's worked that harder than me, very frankly, with the leadership and it's a conscious decision, I think, that we have to make."

"If we walk away from it, it's my view it'll be a much more dangerous place a decade from now, and we'll be back," he said.

"I think, a goal that we must continue to pursue -- or the danger associated with a country that's got a nuclear arsenal, that lives next to a country that they view as an existential threat, it's just a matter of time before we're back," he added.

OneIndia News