Quetta drone attack ‘vitiated’ ties, Pakistan tells US

Islamabad, June 10: Pakistan on Friday told visiting US officials that the recent US drone strike in its southwestern Balochistan province has “vitiated bilateral ties”. Ambassador Richard Olson, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Peter Lavoy, Senior Advisor and Director for South Asian Affairs at the US tiol Security Council, arrived in Islamabad on Friday weeks after a US drone attack killed the Afghan Taliban chief at a time when efforts were underway to bring the Taliban to the negotiations table. The US delegation held talks with Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry at the foreign ministry and held candid discussions on bilateral relations, regiol security situation and the Afghan peace process in the wake of May 21 drone strike near Quetta in Balochistan, a foreign ministry statement said. “The Advisor conveyed a strong message to the US that the 21 May drone strike was not only a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and breach of the principles of the United tion’s Charter, but has also vitiated bilateral ties,” the statement reads. “It was emphasized that any future drone strike in Pakistan will be detrimental to our common desire to strengthen relations,” the statement added. (IANS)