US: There Is No Intention To Weaken Pak-US relations
Thursday, May 5th, 2016 9:42:07 by modousarr
The US State Department, at a news briefing on Tuesday, affirmed that the United States has ‘absolutely no intention’ of discontinuing its relationship with Pakistan.
The department’s spokesperson, John Kirby abstained from criticizing Pakistan for its statement that it would buy F-16 fighter jets elsewhere if their deal with the US did not succeed.
When asked if Pakistan bought fighter jets from China, would it strain its relations with the United States, Kirby responded, “These are sovereign decisions that nations make with respect to their defence needs, and it’s up to Pakistan to speak to how they’ll fulfil their defence needs,”
He added, “As for the relationship, as I’ve said many, many times, it’s an important one. It’s critical; it’s vital in that — particularly in that part of the world; and it’s a relationship we have absolutely no intention of losing focus on or diminishing in any way.
“But these are obviously sovereign decisions that Pakistan has to make,” he added.
At the news briefing, Mr Kirby was also reminded of the fact that a Pakistani minister had termed US aid to Pakistan as “peanuts”. He responded, “I would just simply say that, again, it’s an important relationship. We’re going to continue to support that relationship”.
The US Congress, last week voted against the US administration from subsidizing the $700 million F-16 deal in which Pakistan was to shell out $270m for the eight aircraft while the US was to supply about $430m for its foreign military financing facility.
The State Spokesman supported the aid that the US has provided to Pakistan regardless of the firm resistance from several petitions in Congress.
“We fully stand behind the kinds of support that we have provided to Pakistan over the last many years with respect specifically to their counterterrorism capabilities and counterterrorism needs,” he said. “And we’re going to continue to look for ways to improve that cooperation as best we can”.
Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=52874
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