Pakistan warns U.S. about "future raids"

Pakistan's army said Thursday that it will review ties with Washington if the U.S. launches any more raids on its territory, VOA reports.

Izvor: VOA

Friday, 06.05.2011.

10:18

Default images

Pakistan's army said Thursday that it will review ties with Washington if the U.S. launches any more raids on its territory, VOA reports. The statement came just hours after Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir defended the work of Pakistan's military and the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, following the U.S. operation that killed Osama bin Laden early Monday. Pakistan warns U.S. about "future raids" In its first statement since Monday's raid, Pakistan's army warned that any future raids would result in a review of military and intelligence cooperation with the United States. It also said that U.S. military personnel in Pakistan would be reduced to the "minimum essential" levels. Thursday's army statement gave no details, but it came amid Pakistani anger over the American special operation that killed Osama bin Laden in a compound in the city of Abbottabad. Earlier in the day, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir reflected that anger during a lengthy press conference in which he accused the U.S. of having violated the country's sovereignty by staging the raid without Pakistan's knowledge or permission. "This matter of sovereignty and the violation of sovereignty and the modalities for conduct, for combating terrorism raises certain legal and moral issues," noted Bashir. U.S. officials say they did not contact Pakistan's leadership until the raid was well under way out of concern that someone within the Pakistani establishment would tip off the al-Qaida leader, allowing him to escape. Pakistan is suspected of having provided a safe haven to members of al-Qaida and other extremists, and that suspicion has been compounded by the fact that bin Laden's hiding place was in a prominent Pakistani town that is also home to the country's military academy, and other military and security institutions. But Foreign Secretary Bashir dismissed these concerns, calling them false charges. Bashir addresses a news conference on Thursday (Beta/AP)

Pakistan warns U.S. about "future raids"

In its first statement since Monday's raid, Pakistan's army warned that any future raids would result in a review of military and intelligence cooperation with the United States. It also said that U.S. military personnel in Pakistan would be reduced to the "minimum essential" levels.

Thursday's army statement gave no details, but it came amid Pakistani anger over the American special operation that killed Osama bin Laden in a compound in the city of Abbottabad.

Earlier in the day, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir reflected that anger during a lengthy press conference in which he accused the U.S. of having violated the country's sovereignty by staging the raid without Pakistan's knowledge or permission.

"This matter of sovereignty and the violation of sovereignty and the modalities for conduct, for combating terrorism raises certain legal and moral issues," noted Bashir.

U.S. officials say they did not contact Pakistan's leadership until the raid was well under way out of concern that someone within the Pakistani establishment would tip off the al-Qaida leader, allowing him to escape.

Pakistan is suspected of having provided a safe haven to members of al-Qaida and other extremists, and that suspicion has been compounded by the fact that bin Laden's hiding place was in a prominent Pakistani town that is also home to the country's military academy, and other military and security institutions.

But Foreign Secretary Bashir dismissed these concerns, calling them false charges.

Komentari 7

Pogledaj komentare

7 Komentari

Možda vas zanima

Podeli: