ISLAMABAD – In his maiden visit to Islamabad, US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman made clear that the release of arrested US citizen Raymond Davis was a must for the continuation of friendly bilateral ties. Grossman, who met President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani, raised the issue of Davis in each of his meeting, with a strong demand for his release coupled with words of caution that the non-acceptance of US demand would cast a deep negative impact on US-Pakistan ties.
And he reiterated his stance loud and clear during a roundtable conference with a group of senior Pakistani journalists at the US embassy on Monday. The US envoy spoke about the situation in Afghanistan, the reconciliation process there and US conditions for the success of the Afghan-led peace dialogue with the Taliban, but his focus remained on the vital issue of Davis. He repeatedly asked for Davis’ release, whom he called a diplomat entitled to immunity. “One of the things that I have also noticed in all of my meetings was that how much we talked about the legacy of two very important people, Richard Holbrooke and Minister Shahbaz Bhatti. It was interesting that in all our meetings the condolences that I received from Pakistani officials over Holbrooke’s demise gave me a chance to convey our condolences over Bhatti’s murder,” he said.
