Share this story!            

US has right to hit targets inside Pakistan: Gates

* US defence secretary says crossing border in pursuance of terrorists not against UN charter
* Hopes for stronger partnership with Zardari

WASHINGTON: The United States has a right to act against terrorist targets in Pakistan, but the new civilian government in Islamabad has to be ‘a willing partner’, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday.

“I think it is essential for Pakistan to be a willing partner in any strategy we have to deal with the threat coming out of its western part and the eastern part of Afghanistan,” Gates said at a hearing of Senate Armed Services Committee.

UN charter: Gates said that in his view, the United Nations charter allowed the US to act in self-defence against international terrorists in Pakistan if the government was unable, or unwilling to deal with them.

“I will say to you, though, we will do what is necessary to protect our troops, but it is very important to engage the Pakistani government. I think the threat that they are seeing, threats to themselves, creates the opportunity where we can work together and there is no necessity for us to take any actions to protect our troops along those lines,” he said.

Partnership: Gates said that the Marriott Hotel bombing in Islamabad clearly showed that the US and Pakistan faced a common threat, and expressed hope for ‘an even stronger partnership’ with President Asif Ali Zardari than with his predecessor, General (r) Pervez Musharraf.

However, stepped up unilateral US missile strikes on Taliban and Al Qaeda safe havens in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas have strained relations between the two countries.

President Zardari on Saturday vowed that Pakistan would not tolerate violations of its sovereignty.

Gates said there were signs of improved co-operation with the Pakistanis despite the frictions. afp

Home | Main

Share this story!