US rejects Pak Army's perspective on Nato strikes

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US rejects Pak Army's perspective on Nato strikes

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Pentagon has rejected Pakistani reaction to NATO investigation report.

23 January,2012 10:30 pm

Pentagon has rejected the Pakistani viewpoint on the CENTCOM investigation report of the Salala checkpost firing incident by the NATO/ISAF forces on November 26 that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.While briefing the reporters Monday, Pentagon spokesman, Capt. John Kirby and US Department of Defense press secretary, George Little said we have seen the ISPR press release detailing Pakistani reaction, but we stand 100 percent by the CENTCOM investigation of Nato attack carried out by Brig. Gen. Stephen Clark.To say that it was an unprovoked attack by American forces in ISPR reaction is simply false, Capt. Kirby said. We have said many times that it was not an unprovoked attack and there were errors made on both sides, he added.We had desired Pakistani participation in the investigation at that time, which would have provided that perspective but they decided not to. The report would have been more thorough if Pakistan had decided to participate in it, but it does not change our belief in the validity of the findings, they asserted.Hard to say at this stage what impact the Pakistani reaction on Nato report will have on the relationship, he said when asked about the deadlock with exactly different positions taken about both sides. Certainly, theres no doubt that there has been impact of this relationship not going well on military-to-military relations, he agreed.In response to a question, Kirby said that counter-terrorism cooperation on a tactical level on the day-to-day basis with Pakistan continues and in some ways is better facilitated than before. Most important things is that we want to move past this incident and build a good, cooperative relationship with Pakistani military, he vowed.We still believe that the coordination and communication with Pakistani military, particularly across the border, remains vital to our success in Afghanistan. We are still very committed to this relationship and for getting it back on the right track, he observed adding that the US defense representative in Islamabad, Gen. Keen has been in contant communication with his counterparts in the Pakistani military.On the question of ground supply routes from Pakistan, he said these still remain closed and there was no headway in this matter, but the US would like to see those gates re-opened. It makes supplies to our troops and coalition partners easier, but this is a decision that only the Pakistani government can make, he conceded.On another question about reports over the weekend that claimed Pakistan will re-open the supply routes in coming March/April with new taxes but will not allow the US trainers back, Kirby said Pentagon was aware of the reports of internal deliberations within Pakistani government about supply routes and trainers etc. However, we have not been informed by Pakistan about any of these issues as yet, he pointed out.We know that the relationship is in a tough place right now, caused by many factors, Kirby said while assuring of the US interest in trying to find some common ground to move this relationship in a much more positive direction than where it has been going in the last few months. We believe it in in the interest of both countries and both militaries to move beyond all that, he opined.The report was provided to US through official channels over the last weekend, the US offucials informed but were unaware of any communication between Pentagon and Pakistani military high command since the ISPR reaction was made public. There was no new date set for the visit of CENTCOM chief, Gen. Jmaes Mattis to Pakistan, which was postponed last month, they informed.--Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC