Need to do more against Haqqani network: US
31 August, 2012
WASHINGTON: Reiterating its "do more" mantra, the US has said it is looking to work with Pakistan for action against Haqqani network. Victoria Nuland, spokesperson for the US State Department, said during a briefing that there was a need for the US and Pakistan to act together against the threat posed by Haqqani network. "We continue to try to strengthen the work we do together against the Haqqani network. Our view remains that we can and should be doing more together, and we are looking forward to being able to do that," Nuland said. She was, however, appreciative of the counterterrorism cooperation between the two countries moving forward after having remained troublesome during the previous year. "With regard to our larger counterterrorism work with the government of Pakistan, we, as you know, are encouraged that the GLOCs are now open, that we are able to work well together on moving cargo," she pointed out. The spokesperson was also questioned about the recently updated travel warning for Pakistan. She termed it a routine practice based on the information received from the ground. "The latest update includes information about some of the attacks that we've seen, including the April explosion in Lahore and the suicide attack in Karachi," she explained. Nuland, in response to another question, disagreed that the travel warning had anything to do with the anniversary of 9/11 attacks approaching next month. "It doesn't have anything to do with September 11. It just has to do with regular updating based on information on the ground. So it's just appropriate that we would keep that up-to-date based on events," she asserted. On the reports that Afghan President Hamid Karzai had shuffled some top defence and intelligence officials, she said the US government will wait for the formal announcement. "As far as I know, he hasn't actually announced any appointments yet. So I think we will await that. It's obviously his sovereign right to shuffle his government, and we will look forward to working with whomever is named," she said. In another briefing, White House spokesman Jay Carney also played down the significance of the changes in Afghanistan. End.
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