Relationship with India, Pak not a zero sum game: Pentagon

Washington, Jan 6: Observing that its relationship with New Delhi and Islamabad is not a zero sum game and that it values ties with both, the Pentagon said safe havens that exist in Pakistan are still an obstacle to ultimate success in Afghanistan.

"I would tell you that with respect to both countries, it's not a zero-sum game for us," the Pentagon spokesman, Navy Captain John Kirby, told a bloggers round table yesterday, in response to a question.

"We value and very much want deep strategic partnerships with both countries, because both of them are vital to the Central and South Asia regions. There's no question about that," he said. Kirby said, Pentagon has long said and believed that its success in Afghanistan is very much dependent on a strong constructive relationship with Pakistan.

"That relationship is troubled. There's no question about that right now. But that doesn't mean that we don't -- both sides -- recognize the importance of working our way through this and getting to better cooperation and coordination across that border," Kirby said.

+"The safe havens that exist in Pakistan are still an obstacle to our ultimate success in Afghanistan, and we're continuing to work at that," he said.

PTI