US still considers Gilani as Prime Minister of Pakistan

Declaring Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani as Prime Minister of Pakistan, the US State Department has said that it would continue to work with Pakistan’s convicted premier.

US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland while briefing the media said Gilani was convicted only for 30 seconds and he is still chief executive of the country.

She observed, “There was a court decision. He was given a 30-second sentence, I believe, and he remains the prime minister of Pakistan. And as such, we continue to work with him, and Ambassador Grossman did meet with him in Pakistan”.

Her remarks came in the answer to a query that according to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Gilani was no longer a premier as he was convicted and sentenced till rising of the court.

She commented that the US has not role in deportation of slain Osama bin Laden’s family, adding the matter was between Saudis and Pakistanis.

The Spokesperson to the US State Department clarified what agencies represented on US delegation visiting Pakistan, saying that it had representatives from State Department,   Department of Defence, National Security Staff and members of the Intelligence Services.

On the Pakistani side, she said that the representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Finance, Interior, and others are holding dialogues with the US delegates led by US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman.

Nuland added, “Ambassador Grossman also met with President Zardari, as I said, with Prime Minister Gilani, and with Foreign Minister Khar. And he also gave a press conference in Islamabad that I would draw your attention to”.

She was of the opinion that they obviously talked bilaterally about where they were standing were, adding that they also discussed in the core groups meeting between America, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

About a query, Nuland said that the Taliban have not taken any decision whether they want to participate in the any talks or not. “They’re in a pause phase, so they know what they need to do if they want to move this forward, she added”

The US State Department Spokesperson said there was no breakthrough in the agreement on NATO supply-line, adding that it would take time to build a consensus on restoration of supplies to the allied forces.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=20575

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Apr 28 2012. Filed under National, Pakistan, 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.