Pentagon Press Secretary George Little on Thursday said the US was hopeful that NATO supply routes through Pakistan would be reopened soon, adding that “they are important to our effort in Afghanistan”.
He said the focus of meetings between Gen Martin Dempsey and the Pakistani military leadership was to discuss the US-Pakistani military relationship.
General James Mattis, commander of US Central Command, left Islamabad on Thursday after a series of meetings with senior Pakistani leaders to discuss a wide-range of security issues.
“While here, he and General John Allen, commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, discussed with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani and other senior military officials the activities of militant network and ways to improve cross-border cooperation,” said a US embassy statement.
General Mattis acknowledged the sacrifices made by the Pakistani military in their fight against violent extremists, and offered his condolences for Pakistani military personnel who have fallen in support of that cause.
This was the first visit by a senior US military official since last winter. General Mattis and General Allen were grateful for the time afforded by their Pakistani counterparts and reaffirmed the importance of the US-Pakistani security relationship – not only to ongoing operations in Afghanistan but also to regional stability.
Dempsey said he was pleased that the US and Pakistani military leaders had met to discuss mutual concerns. “We want to rebuild the trust and confidence between our two militaries,” the general said.
Dempsey had told reporters traveling with him in South America that he had spoken with Kayani at least five times since the border incident. The Pakistanis, he said, wanted to reset the military-to-military relationship with the United States.
US hopeful of early resumption of NATO supplies
