Mullen says US-Pak will ‘work way through’ killer drone strike tension

WASHINGTON - US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen, has said that the US and Pakistan could resolve the issues that led to the closure of a key supply route for American and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Mullen said that the US military has analysed the situation to determine what the effects would be if the route was closed for a longer period.

“I believe we will figure a way to work our way through this,” The Daily Times quoted Mullen, as saying.

Mullen further said the Obama administration has been working to rebuild Pakistani trust to shape a strong relationship between the two countries.

“We left them in a dark hole from about 1990 to 2002, and they don’t trust us. We are trying to rebuild that trust. And it’s basically coming, but you don’t rebuild it overnight,” he added.

Pakistan has closed down a key supply route for US-led forces in Afghanistan in retaliation of last Thursday’s cross-border helicopter attack, which allegedly killed three soldiers and injured three others.

In separate meetings with CIA Director Leon Panetta, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani conveyed to the US that any violation of its sovereignty was unacceptable to Pakistan. (ANI)