"Our relationship with Pakistan is complicated. We don't always agree, it is not always perfect, but it is significant and important," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters at the daily briefing.

President Obama's spokesman explained that the U.S. relationship with Pakistan "is significant and important because it helps us protect the United States of America, protect United States citizens and assets abroad, as well as our allies."

"And that Pakistan has been an important partner in our effort to disrupt, dismantle and ultimately defeat al Qaeda and continues to be so."

"So that's why we continue to work on that relationship," Carney added in reply to a question on the current state of relationship between the two countries.

The White House comments come as the two countries - that have been cooperating closely in the fight against al-Qaeda along the Afghan border since 9/11 terroist attacks - seek to salvage their strained bilateral relationship, considered key to a successful outcome of the Afghan conflict.

The relations between the two countries suffered setbacks with recent incidents including CIA contractor Raymond Davis' killing of two Pakistanis in  Lahore early this year and discovery of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan and the May 2 U.S. unilateral action that took out the al-Qaeda chief from his Abbottabad hideout but added further tension to the ties.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011