Osama, Raymond and NATO strike led to tense ties with US: Pak

[utubekhiladi]

Islamabad, Dec 29 (PTI) Pakistan today listed Raymond Davis case, American unilateral raid to kill Osama bin Laden and the recent NATO strike as some of the reasons for the "tense" relations with US this year which Islamabad says it is trying to put back on track. Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Abdul Basit admitted that its relations with the US remained tense and experienced ups and down during the current year due to some incidents including the American military's unilateral raid to kill Osama bin Laden and the last month's US-led NATO attack on border posts that killed 24 soldiers. While giving a review of foreign relations during 2011, Basit said that the killing of two nationals by an American official Raymond Davis in the city of Lahore in February also badly affected bilateral relationship. Davis was a CIA contractor, who was later freed after agreement was reached to compensate the families of the slain Pakistanis - in what is known as "blood money". Refuting the impression that Pakistan and US are not on talking terms, the spokesman said, "We are on speaking terms with US and are trying to put our relations back on track". The spokesman said Parliamentary Committee on National Security is reviewing Pak-US relations and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that its recommendations would be presented to joint session of the parliament for final approval on the issue of revisiting the relations with US. Basit said Pakistan wants good relations with the US based on "mutual respect and dignity" adding that there will be no compromise on national integrity and sovereignty. MORE PTI CORR SAP AKJ

Osama, Raymond and NATO strike led to tense ties with US: Pak, IBN Live News