United States' relationship with Pakistan is very tense but the two countries are working to resolve the issues, the Pentagon said on Monday, days after the "failed" talks held by the Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman in Islamabad.
"It is a very tense time in our relationship (with Pakistan). All the more tensed because of the event in late November. We are trying to work out through this," the Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt John Kirby told reporters during an off-camera news conference in Washington.
Kirby asserted that he would not discuss the details of the negotiations that the US is having with the Pakistani leadership now. In November 26 last year, 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation cross-border strike that brought the ties between the two countries almost to a standstill.
Grossman was in Islamabad last week holding talks with the top Pakistani leadership on a series of issues including reopening of the ground lines of communication, restoration of bilateral ties. The US media has reported that the talks failed.
"I am not going to get into details of discussions with this Government and the Pakistani government. "It is larger than just the military here in the Pentagon. This is about nation to nation relationship," he said.
"It (US-Pak relationship) has been tensed. It has been tensed since November 26. There is no question about that.
The situation is still tensed between us, but both sides are interested in moving past this and both sides recognize the importance of good, working co-operative relationship," Kirby said in response to a question.
"Senior leaders on both sides had lot of discussions and dialogue about how to move the relationship forward. It is a difficult complex relationship. Everybody understands that," he asserted.
