Not came here for apology: John Kerry
Staff Report
ISLAMABABAD: US Senator John Kerry said on Monday that his visit did not mean to say 'sorry' on Abbottabad operation, adding that Pakistani nation must decide if it is with terrorists or with peaceful people.
He said that several questions are being raised in US Congress over aid to Pakistan.
"The Abbottabad operation was kept covert to ensure security of US forces. No question of trust, even I was informed after operation," he added.
"Osama bin Laden violated Pakistan's sovereignty."
He said that 35,000 Pakistani citizens and 5,000 army personnel were killed in Al Qaeda attacks.
John Kerry said that US Secretary State Hillary Clinton will visit Pakistan soon.
He said that all projects under Kerry-Lugar Bill shall continue.
“We realize that the issue of Pakistan’s sovereignty is very serious,” he maintained.
“Osama bin Laden senselessly killed over 3,000 innocent people of US,” he added.
Agencies add: U.S. Senator John Kerry said during a visit to strategic ally Pakistan on Monday that he told Pakistani officials Washington had "grave" concerns over Osama bin Laden's presence in Pakistan before the al Qaeda leader was killed in a U.S. raid.
"I expressed as clearly as possible grave concerns in the United States over Osama bin Laden's presence in Pakistan and existence here of sanctuaries for adversaries in Afghanistan," Kerry told a news conference.
US Senator John Kerry on Monday called Pakistan and the United States "strategic partners with a common enemy" as he sought to ease distrust in the wake of the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Kerry said he had held "constructive conversations" with Pakistan's leaders but reiterated "grave concerns" over the presence in Pakistan of the Al-Qaeda terror chief and sanctuaries of US adversaries in Afghanistan.
"More importantly I explained that I am here with the backing of President (Barack) Obama, (US) ambassador (to Pakistan Cameron) Munter and their team to find a way to rebuild the trust between our two countries," he said.
"We must never lose sight of this essential fact. We are strategic partners with a common enemy in terrorism and extremism.
"Both of our countries have sacrificed... so much that it just wouldn't make sense to see this relationship broken or abandoned," he added. SAMAA
