Pakistan, US working to restore Nato supply routes

By
AFP
|
Pakistan, US working to restore Nato supply routes
KARACHI: The United States and Pakistan are working to resolve the current tensions over the resumption of Nato supply routes and are likely to compromise which will require the US to rebuild the highways damaged by Nato convoys, a report stated.

In return, Pakistan will drastically reduce its demand for an increase in charges for overland deliveries of American military supplies to Afghanistan, from $5,000 to $300-500 per truck.

Pakistan government has recently put up a demand of $5,000 per truck, up from $250 per truck before the closure, according to the US defence officials.

On Sunday, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta told journalists that such a steep rise was not acceptable to the US.

Pakistan’s Ambassador Sherry Rehman on Friday met US National Security Adviser Tom Donilon and his deputies Denis R. McDonough and John Brennan at the White House and on Monday she held similar talks with US special representative Marc Grossman.

US Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides is Washington’s point-man for the talks on Nato supply routes while Finance Minister Dr Hafeez Shaikh is leading the Pakistani side. Mr Nides and Mr Shaikh will also resume their talks today.