US apology over Salala check-point hindered by Afghan protests

In order to re-boot diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the United States, the latter had planned to offer an official apology to the former over last November’s NATO incursion on Slala check-point.

However, the New York Times reported that the plan was hindered by the explosion of violent rioting in Afghanistan over the burning of Holy Quran by US troops at Bagram airbase.

The bilateral ties between two frontline countries in war on terror plunged to a new low following November 2011 airstrike on Pakistani border posts in the Salala area of Mohmand Agency that killed 24 troops.

The US refusal to aplogise over the deadly attack further enraged Pakistanis and threatened their decade-long partnership in the war against terror.

The newspaper quoting sources reported, “Under a carefully coordinated plan, the (US) military had planned for Gen Martin E Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to make a formal apology for the American strike via telephone to Pakistan’s army chief, Gen Ashfaq Kayani, on Thursday.”

According to the report, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also to have amplified on that apology in her meeting with her Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, in London, at the same day. However, the plan was upset by the explosion of violent rioting in Afghanistan.

The report maintained, Obama administration officials quickly calculated that too many regrets at once would hand fresh ammunition to Republican presidential candidates.

The report quoting a senior Pakistani official said his government also wanted the American apology to be delayed until at least mid-March, when the Pakistani Parliament is due to hold a special sitting to debate the country’s policy toward America.

The US paper also claims that the complex diplomatic dance would also affect the fledgling Taliban negotiating process.

Furthermore, a high-level US delegation, led by special representative for Afghanistan-Pakistan, Mark Grossman, would soon visit Pakistan to iron out the last remaining differences, the reported added.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=13806

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Feb 25 2012. Filed under National, Pakistan, Society, USA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.