Holbrooke: Prolonged closure of border crossing for NATO supply convoys is ‘inconceivable’

Holbrooke doubts Pakistan border will stay closed

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is confident that Pakistan will soon remove its restriction on the flow of NATO supply convoys across the border into Afghanistan, the administration’s special representative for the two countries said Friday.

“It’s inconceivable to me that the closing of the routes — the alleged closing, which is not a full closing anyway — would continue more than a short period of time,” Richard Holbrooke told a conference here.

The Pakistani government shut the Torkham border in the country’s northwest Thursday in apparent protest of a NATO helicopter incursion that killed three of its soldiers on the border.

Holbrooke argued that it would make no economic sense for Pakistan to continue to restrict the flow of materials to U.S.-led NATO forces.

“Once they start closing that thing it’s going to have a colossal effect on the region,” he said.

Speaking at a forum sponsored by The Atlantic Monthly and the Aspen Institute, Holbrooke also said flooding in large parts of Pakistan in recent months has diverted the Pakistani military’s attention away from its counterinsurgency campaign.

He offered no criticism of Pakistan’s efforts to battle extremists but noted, “We have always said we think more should be done in this regard.”