Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Pakistan 'to re-open' supply lines to Nato Afghan forces

Breaking news

Pakistan is to re-open crucial supply routes to Nato-led forces in Afghanistan after Washington apologised for killing 24 of its soldiers in November, the US has announced.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Islamabad would not charge any transit fees when the lines re-open.

She made the announcement in Washington after talks by phone with her Pakistani counterpart, Hina Rabbani Khar.

Pakistan has not yet commented on the US statement.

The row over the supply lines has been hugely damaging to relations between Pakistan and the US.

"I offered our sincere condolences to the families of the Pakistani soldiers who lost their lives," Mrs Clinton said.

"Foreign Minister Khar and I acknowledged the mistakes that resulted in the loss of Pakistani military lives.

"We are sorry for the losses suffered by the Pakistani military. We are committed to working closely with Pakistan and Afghanistan to prevent this from ever happening again."

Shortly before the US announcement, Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the issue had damaged his country's relations with the US, as well as the 49 other member states of Nato.

The supply lines are increasingly important as Nato prepares to withdraw all combat troops, as well as huge amounts of equipment, from Afghanistan in 2014.

During the dispute the US reduced its reliance on Pakistan by using a more costly route through Central Asia, correspondents say.



Source & Image : BBC

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