NATO calls for Pakistan to reopen supply lines
- 12 years ago
Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says NATO is still hoping to reopen supply routes into Afghanistan through Pakistan despite securing new transit deals with three central Asian countries.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYING:
"We want as many options as possible."
Pakistan banned trucks from carrying supplies to and from the war effort in Afghanistan late last year in protest against a cross-border NATO air attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYING:
"So far we have failed to reach a conclusion. I hope to see a reopening of the transit routes through Pakistan in a not too distant future."
On Monday, the U.S. withdrew from six weeks of talks with Pakistan without a new deal on re-opening the supply routes in a sign of deepening tension between the two nations.
Rasmussen says the NATO transit agreements with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan would give NATO forces more flexibility ahead of the planned withdrawal of combat forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYING:
"We want as many options as possible."
Pakistan banned trucks from carrying supplies to and from the war effort in Afghanistan late last year in protest against a cross-border NATO air attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYING:
"So far we have failed to reach a conclusion. I hope to see a reopening of the transit routes through Pakistan in a not too distant future."
On Monday, the U.S. withdrew from six weeks of talks with Pakistan without a new deal on re-opening the supply routes in a sign of deepening tension between the two nations.
Rasmussen says the NATO transit agreements with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan would give NATO forces more flexibility ahead of the planned withdrawal of combat forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters