Raymond detention, Osama killing hit US-Pak relations: Obama

Washington, Oct 1: The US-Pak ties have strained following the detention of American diplomat Raymond Davis in Lahore and the Abbottabad raid which killed Osama bin Laden, affecting the bilateral military cooperation, President Barack Obama has told the Congress.

"Bilaterally, the fallout of the raid resulting in the death of Osama bin Laden continued to complicate the United States-Pakistan relationship, further strained by a series of media reports based on alleged leaks from both the United States and Pakistan," Obama said in a new report to Congress on US operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"The kidnapping of an American citizen United States Agency for International Development (USAID) contractor provided an avenue for cooperation between law enforcement authorities, but simultaneously added a new level of security concern to US partners working in Pakistan," Obama said.

The unclassified section of the report running into 25 pages has been obtained by Press Trust of India.

"This report covers the period from January 1, 2011, through June 30, 2011. To the extent possible, the report also provides an assessment through August 31, 2011," Obama said.

Between April 1 and June 30 period, Obama said, the overall indicators and metrics against this objective declined.

"Pakistan's response to the raid against Osama bin Laden on May 2 strained military-to-military cooperation and collaboration between the US and Pakistan," he said.

PTI