Pakistan-U.S. Relations on Hold for 'Re-Evaluation'

From Reuters:

Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar

Pakistan’s ties with the United States remain on hold following a NATO cross-border air attack, its foreign minister said on Thursday, and Washington should not push Islamabad to go after militant groups or bring them to the Afghan peace process.

“Now that the re-evaluation process is under way as we speak, so till the time that that re-evaluation process is not complete, we cannot start the re-engagement,” Hina Rabbani Khar said in an interview with Reuters on Thursday.

The November 26 NATO attack on the border with Afghanistan, which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, plunged relations between Washington and Islamabad to their chilliest levels in years.

Yet Khar struck a positive note, stressing the long alliance was vital for the two countries.

“I think this will also give us the ability, if we play it right, to strengthen the partnership and to make it much, much more effective,” she said.

“Let me categorically say that we consider our relations and our relationship with the U.S. to be an extremely important one.”

Khar said proposals for the tenor and rules for relations with the United States could be out within days.

“We are trying to push for it as we speak,” Khar said. “I know that they have completed their recommendations and we will look for an appropriate day to hold the joint session of parliament. The recommendations could come out in days.”

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