Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar says an apology by the United States government for the Nato air strike on November 26, 2011 that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers would not satisfy Pakistan government, and the attack demanded a reassessment of Islamabad's partnership with the US. "The incident was grave enough for an apology not to be good enough," she said Monday in an interview with CNN correspondent Reza Sayah at her home in Islamabad.
The interview was taken before she left Sunday with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to attend Nuclear Security Summit NSS South Korea capital Seoul. "This did require a complete re-look at the terms of engagement with the United States of America," she was quoted as saying.
In November 2011, US-Pakistan ties plunged to all-time low when Nato aircraft attacked a Pakistani check post near Afghan border, killing 24 Pakistani soldiers. US government expressed regret over the incident but has yet to issue a direct apology. Nato air strike was latest in string of incidents that increased tensions between Islamabad and Washington, including killing of two Pakistanis by a CIA contractor and US decision to raid Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbotabad without notifying Pakistani authorities. It was Nato air strike that put some of most crucial aspects of US-Pakistan ties on hold.
She said Pakistan is prepared to play a "crucial supportive role" in Afghan peace talks. Hina Khar rejected claims that Islamabad has links to Mullah Omar and can persuade Afghan Taliban leader to take part in the negotiations. "If what you're trying to get out of me is if we have links to Mullah Omar or not, the answer to that is no. I think that the perception of what Pakistan is able to do is blown out of proportion most of the time," she said.
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