U.S. Negotiators Leave Pakistan Without Supply Deal

[News_Editor]

U.S. negotiators leave Pakistan without supply deal < br />

2012-06-12 10:40:12 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- A team of U.S. negotiators is returning home from Pakistan after several weeks of talks aimed at re-opening vital supply routes to NATO-led forces in Afghanistan ended with no progress, officials in both countries said on Monday.

The United States is trying to convince the Pakistani government to reopen its key ground routes into neighboring Afghanistan which were closed in November 2011 after a cross-border NATO air raid accidentally struck military posts and killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, bringing U.S.-Pakistani relations to a new low.

Pentagon spokesman George Little said a part of the U.S. team already left Islamabad over the weekend, and the rest will return shortly. "We've not reached a resolution yet with the Pakistanis on reopening the ground supply routes," he said. "We hope to resolve the issue soon."

But officials in both Islamabad and Washington insisted the talks have not failed. "We will continue to have dialogue, so while the issue is not resolved, the talking has not stalled," Little said, adding that the United States will continue to work "very hard" on the issue with their Pakistani counterparts.

Several issues have prevented both sides from reaching an agreement, including Pakistan's continuing demands for an official apology for the deaths of the Pakistani soldiers. Washington has acknowledged the deaths but stopped short of an official apology, angering officials in Islamabad.

The multinational alliance is currently forced to use alternative supply routes to Afghanistan through Central Asia, the Caucasus and Russia. NATO signed deals last week with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to use their territory to evacuate vehicles and military equipment from Afghanistan.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-06-12

[GentlemanJim]

So, when it is acknowledged that the strikes did in fact kill the soldiers, what is so wrong with giving an official apology? What is it about an official apology that makes things so bad? Is it by giving such an apology it opens the nation concerned to litigation/compensation claims? If so it would of course be totally appropriate in this case. Sorry, does indeed seem to be the hardest word.

[Ulysses G.]

I'm too lazy to research it, but didn't Pakistan have something to do with the mistake that caused the deaths? That might be why the US does not feel the need to apologize.

[Colin Yai]

I'm too lazy to research it, but didn't Pakistan have something to do with the mistake that caused the deaths? That might be why the US does not feel the need to apologize.

Yeah OG the scenario is quite laughable maybe the Pakistani's should apologize for all the Terrorists they harbor within their borders ,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3FYE75bu1w here's just a light hearted look at reality for us all to share the joke

[folium]

I'm too lazy to research it, but didn't Pakistan have something to do with the mistake that caused the deaths? That might be why the US does not feel the need to apologize.

As per usual the answer is more than a single line and the reasons for this impasse over transit rights through Pakistan are a heady cocktail of sovereign rights (overridden in Pakistani eyes by killing of OBL and drone deluge), lack of recognition of Pakistan's military and civilian casualties due to participation in the WoT, failure to apologize for the genuine screwup over the 24 dead Pakistani troops, and topped off with a classic attempt at price gouging (Pakistani merchants normally have a healthy dose of

entrepreneurial DNA).

More eloquently put see article below:

http://www.economist.com/node/21556603/comments#comments