US State Dept denies targeting Pak troops at Pak-Afghan border
20 Jun 2008, 1133 Hrs

Add comment          Mail          Print          Write to Editor

Washington, June 20 (ANI): US State Department has denied that the US troops stationed along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border were targeting the Pakistani troops, as claimed by former Pakistani army chief and ambassador to the US Jehangir Karamat.

On Wednesday, Karamat had claimed that the US troops had "deliberately" attacked the Pakistan's Frontier Corps (FC) troops killing 11 of them at Mohmand Agency on June 11. The two countries have launched joint investigation into the incident, which, State Department's deputy spokesman Donald Camp said would produce "quick results".

After addressing the annual meeting of the Pakistani-American Congress, Camp said there had been no targeting of Pakistani soldiers and that details of what happened remain "murky".

Disagreeing that the "honeymoon" between Pakistan and the US was over, he said that both the countries realised that they had problems but that was normal in any relationship. He pointed out that the US had problems with Europe but the relations remain friendly. "Pakistan is an important partner and I am sure we'll get over this", he said and added that the US had a good ambassador in Pakistan who stayed in touch with all developments and with all key figures.

In answer to another question, Camp said that fencing the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was not the best option. "What is needed is better coordination," he added. (ANI)