US ready for talks with Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Downplaying Pakistan’s refusal to disallow his visit, President Barack Obama’s Special Representative for AfPak Marc Grossman Friday said he will wait till the Pakistani parliament and government reassess and re-evaluate the relationship with the US.

Amidst political crisis in Pakistan, Grossman also said the US supports the civilian government and democracy there. “The Pakistan government has sought time to re-evaluate its relationship with the US. I respect that. I would be ready for talks when Pakistan is ready,” he told reporters after meeting Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai here.

On whether Pakistan was discussed during his meeting with Mathai, Grossman said the Indian government can speak for itself on Pakistan. “What I would say is that of course we follow issues in Pakistan carefully.”

Grossman also said the US would continue to reinforce its conversation with Pakistan on the situation in Afghanistan and pitched the need for reviving trilateral dialogue. On the current confrontation in Pakistan, he said the US supports the civilian government and democracy in Pakistan. “This is a question for Pakistanis. This is an internal question for them. They have their own ways of going forward and I would not comment any further on internal developments,” he said.