WASHINGTON: Welcoming Sherry Rehman, as Pakistan’s new envoy to US, state department’s Victoria Nuland Monday said that US supported a strong dialogue between Pakistan’s civilian government and military establishment.
“We’ve long supported the civilian government in Pakistan. We cooperate closely with Pakistani civilian government, but we also cooperate closely with the military, and we want to see strong dialogue between them inside Pakistan,” said she.
“We’ll obviously welcome Pakistan’s new ambassador to the United States. She’ll be received here. At an appropriate moment, she’ll also present her credentials at the White House when they schedule that,” said Nuland.
“It’ll be a good chance, in the new year, to talk about the important work that we have to do together,” Nuland added.
Nuland, however, refused to be drawn into the internal affairs of Pakistan when asked about the statement coming from the Prime Minister of Pakistan calling the actions of the head of the army and the head of ISI in giving statements to the supreme court illegal and unconstitutional.
“I think you’re trying to draw me into internal discussions inside Pakistan. I’m not so sure that that’s appropriate from this podium,” she said.
To a question regarding an US think tank’s letter to state department about threats to former Pakistani envoy to US, Husain Haqqani’s life, she said that they have received it, adding, the concerns expressed in it were being pondered upon.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney responding to questions on US-Pak relationship with the arrival of Sherry Rehman in Washington said the Obama Administration was working to improve its relationship with Pakistan as this is in the interest of the US.
“We have an important relationship with Pakistan. We have a complicated relationship with Pakistan. We continue to work on it because it’s in the interests of the American people and in the interests of American national security to do so,” Carney said.
“I don’t have any updates on that for you except to say that we are working with Pakistan precisely because it’s in American national security interest to do so. And we will continue to do that,” Carney said in response to a question. (KMW News)
