US confirms Munters decision to step down

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US confirms Munters decision to step down

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The US State administration has confirmed that Ambassador Munter has decided to leave his post.

09 May,2012 04:39 am

Addressing a briefing at the State Department Tuesday, deputy spokesperson Mark Toner confirmed that the US Ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter had decided to leave his post this year prematurely. Ambassador Munter, it may be noted, is still in the second year of his three year term after being appointed to the post in October 2010.Toner said that Ambassador Munter had made the personal decision to depart Pakistan this summer and announced his decision in a staff meeting at the US Embassy in Islamabad on Monday. He, however, played down the significance of Ambassador Munters premature departure and called it a normal tenure for ambassadors in the country.This is at the conclusion of his tenure at the end of two years, which is a perfectly normal period for an ambassador to Pakistan, deputy spokesman emphasised while hailing the contribution of Ambassador Munter in the job, considered by many as one of the toughest in recent years considering the tense nature of bilateral relationship between Pakistan and the US.Toner said that the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton had also praised Cameron Munter’s efforts and his performance during his time in Pakistan. She also understands his decision to depart, he added. The US media had reported earlier that the US administration did not consider Munter a good fit with Pakistani leadership. However, no replacement has been named as yet.- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC