Pakistan rejects Grossman's visit
US special envoy Marc Grossman's visit to Pakistan for consultation on exploratory talks with Taliban has been put off as Islamabad rejected the move, a State Department official said.
The US had made a request for a visit of Grossman, Obama's special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, as part of his itinerary to hold consultations with the US allies in the Middle East on a new move to involve the Taliban in Afghan reconciliation process.
"We received word that the Pakistan government felt that it would be best to wait (for Grossman's visit) until this parliamentary review is concluded," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a news briefing.
The development indicates further deterioration in Pak-US relationship which has been on a continuous downswing since the May 2 US raid on Osama bin Laden's hideout in Abbottabad.
But, in response to questions, Toner said that Pakistan would continue to play a role in Afghan reconciliation process.
On Pak-US differences, the State Department spokesman said there was no alternative other than for two countries to work on their divergences.
"There's no other solution here other than to work through our differences. We absolutely view Pakistan as an essential partner to this Afghan-led reconciliation process," Toner said.
The US, he said, would wait for the outcome of the Pakistani parliamentary committee review of the nature of relationship between the two countries, and insisted that it is unlikely go beyond the deep regret which it expressed for the November 26 NATO attack which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
The Washington Post had reported earlier that Pakistan had turned down the request of Grossman to travel to Islamabad during his current trip to the region that started this week.
The paper quoting US officials said this indicated Washington's patience with Pakistan was growing thinner as the country was increasingly standing upfront against the US and was saying 'no' more often than ever.
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