US State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner has refused to comment on the news of Pakistan’s Ambassador to Washington Hussain Haqqani’s resignation, saying it is Pakistan’s internal matter. Briefing the media on Thursday, Toner said Haqqani’s resignation was his personal issue with Pakistan’s sitting leadership who appointed him and gave tasks on certain issues and the US has nothing to do with it. Commenting on the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, the State Department spokesman said the US considered the Afghan loya jirga an important process despite the fact that some elements had opened new war fields against the jirga to halt the progress on peace and stability.
“We are going to wait for it to run its course, the loya jirga, before we comment on all the specific outcomes of it,” he said. Toner said it was a chance for the Afghans to use this forum to discuss the future relationship between Afghanistan and the US. “We believe the end result is going to be an affirmation of that partnership. The US and Afghanistan, in terms of bases, that we share the same goals,” he said. Toner said loya jirga was an opportunity for the Afghans to discuss these goals in detail and they should avail it for resolution of their reservations.
