Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Ashraf Kayani has regretted the ‘privately rendered’ softest apology of ISAF commander General Allen over NATO attack on Salala checkpost.
British broadcasting media BBC, quoting an “important Pakistani Army officer’, well informed about Army, diplomatic endeavors between Pakistan and USA informed that while General Kayani appreciated and encouraged the ‘private apology’ of ISAF’s General Allen, yet he has declared it as insufficient.
General Kayani has been known to have impressed the fact on the visiting ISAF general that the issue was not between two armies, but two states, and hence could be only resolved at State level.
Army sources have informed that on strong demands of COAS Kayani, the meeting was held in foreign ministry, in presence of other Army officers, instead of Rawalpindi’s GHQ.
Sources have said that highest level of diplomatic efforts was made for these high-level military talks, for which American Secretary of State Hilary Clinton made special request to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.
During these talks/contacts other issues like drone attacks, and resumption of NATO supplies through Pakistan were also discoursed between Pakistan and USA; which paved way for further recommendations to be presented before the Cabinet’s Defense coordination Committee and Federal Cabinet.
Specific reference has been given to the issue of drone attacks, recommending joint control for these drone attacks, including conditioning these drone attacks to Pakistani intelligence information, in order to minimize any civilian causalities.
Pakistani officials are also claiming that America was willing to disburse an immediate portion of “coalition support fund” to Pakistan, while the remaining $.2.5 billion would only be disbursed after regular auditing process.
Kayani regrets Allen’s soft apology
