US suspends defence talks with Pakistan: Pentagon

[EagleEyes]

US suspends defence talks with Pakistan: Pentagon
13 hours ago

BEIJING (AFP) — The United States has suspended annual defence talks with Pakistan because of the political situation there, the Pentagon's spokesman said here Monday.

Eric Edelman, undersecretary of defence for policy, was supposed to head a US delegation to the two-day talks scheduled to open Tuesday, but will not go until political conditions improve, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said.

"These are important bilateral meetings that require an atmosphere in which all the issues can be discussed with the full attention of all participants," Morrell said.

"We hope to reschedule this meeting as soon as conditions are more conducive to achieve the important objectives at hand."

Morrell is travelling with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who on Monday called for Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to return his country to a constitutional democracy.

"We urge President Musharraf to return his country to a law-based, constitutional and democratic rule as soon as possible," Gates told reporters in Beijing.

Gates described the developments, in which Musharraf over the weekend declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution, as "disturbing".

But he emphasised that any US actions against Pakistan should have no impact on global efforts to fight terrorism.

"We are reviewing all our assistance programmes (to Pakistan), although we are mindful not to do anything that would undermine counter-terrorism efforts," said Gates, after a meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Cao Gangchuan.

AFP: US suspends defence talks with Pakistan: Pentagon

 

[JK!]

Things are going a bit Tiannamen square.

If the worst comes to the worst then Pakistan may be driven even more into the chinese sphere of influence which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

Even if the Shi-t really hits the fan look at the example of Iran which has defence production.

 

[Bull]

US still needs Mushraff, infact a mushraff rule under media censorship will help things.

 

[genmirajborgza786]

got this one now from the net

U.S. postpones Pakistan defense talks due to crisis 2 hours, 4 minutes ago
BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States has postponed defense cooperation talks with Pakistan, scheduled for this week, due to President Pervez Musharraf's declaration of a state of emergency, the Pentagon said on Monday.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, on a visit to China, called the events of the past few days in Pakistan, during which the constitution has been suspended and reporting curbs imposed on the media, "disturbing."

Musharraf has cited spiraling militancy to justify his actions, but many believe his main motive was to pre-empt the Supreme Court invalidating his re-election as president last month.

The annual defense consultation group talks between U.S. and Pakistani officials had been due to take place in Islamabad on November 6 and 7, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters traveling with Gates.

"In light of President Musharraf's emergency declaration, it was thought wise to postpone this meeting until such time that all parties can focus on the very important issues at hand that they have to discuss," Morrell said.

"We hope to reschedule these meetings as soon as conditions are more conducive to achieving the important objectives at hand," he told reporters in Beijing.

Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman was due to lead the Pentagon delegation at the talks, Morrell said.

The United States has said that it is reviewing its aid to Pakistan as a result of Musharraf's actions. But Gates said Washington would be "mindful not to do anything that would undermine ongoing counter-terrorism efforts."

"Pakistan is a country of great strategic importance to the United States and a key partner in the war on terror. However, the actions of the past 72 hours have been disturbing," Gates said at a news conference with his Chinese counterpart.

Since the imposition of emergency rule, Pakistani police have detained hundreds of political opponents and lawyers.

Judges have been required to take new oaths or risk dismissal, and several who have refused to swear allegiance to Musharraf are being held incommunicado at their homes by Pakistani police, officials said.

Karachi police on Monday baton-charged lawyers, at the forefront of the anti-Musharraf campaign, protesting against the imposition of emergency rule.

U.S. postpones Pakistan defense talks due to crisis - Yahoo! News

 

[QADRI]

at last they get an excuse not to talk about defence with Pakistan.....haaaaaaaaaaaaa. now for defence only one choice left that is china. Can anyone tell that how Pakistani great president express his feelings about this?????

 

[fatman17]

the defence talks are suspended till an appropiate time maybe 3-6 months down the line. it will effect some delivery schedules in the pipeline. american options are limited due to war on terror.

 

[A True Pakistani]

India is celebrating seeing Pakistan going through all of these disastours. Finally, they see their dream of an unstable Pakistan materializing. How could it not be, after all the efforts through their agents they exported into pakista, Sawat, Karachi, Islamabad to create terror on our land to prove to the world that Pakistan still is a land of terrorist and unsafe to visit. This is the point they have been struggling to prove for more than 50 yrs and yet they won again. Notice the immediate sanctions imposed on pakistan now. the situation is going back to 7 yrs older pakistan. the image and state of Pakistan which had improved in the last 5 yrs. Pakistan's good name as a peaceful land of civilized people is going back to where it was 7 yrs ago and has been since 1947. India can see their efforts finally bringing the outcome they wanted. Deprive Pakistan of everything so that the citizens would run out for help. Curse the govt. the usual unrest, the usual unstability. The fear in the harts of every Pakistani citizen, the unsurity of what is next, the insecurity. What we have seen since 1947. Musharaf was too strong not to let it happen again to the country for 7 yrs. But now it has. It finally has. But do we care? We remain busy watching those f*ckin indian bollywood crap and dancing on their tunes while cursing the govt. which wanted to and was working towards stability of the country.

That's all Pakistanis are capable of. Keep cursing and rallying against the good people and keep voting for the corrupt politicians to bring about so called f*ckin 'democracy' who do not gave a flying sh!t about progress of Pakistan but just filling up their own fat stomachs with the country's resources and money.

This general's govt. was better than any 'democracy' Pakistan has ever seen but we thankless @$$e$... can we ever appreciate the good people? No, all we are capable of and gppd for is being manipulated by the nagative elements and work to destruct the land we live in. And let the enemies take complete use of it. Achieve their agendas just as they have now.

All the sanctions reimposed. nothing new. it's the same old pakistan. Musharaf did his best but the eyes of ***** people of Pakistan are only good for watching the indian bollywood crap and moving their ***** away listening to their crap of music. Only if they could see how they are destructing Pakistan with their attitudes, their stupidities, in allowing the external negative elements to manipulate their thoughts to give it a spin towards the opposite direction, scene in pakistan would change for the better but no.... they will remain ***** forever.

Now finally, india has achieved what it has been causing to pakistan since 1947, again after 7 yrs since 2000, it has successfully made pakistan go down the road of destruction and eternally remain an undeveloped 3rd world country. No jobs, no security, no stability, image of a terrorist state, sanctions, weak defence, a broken, weak Pakistan which can be attacked and defeated easily. so there people of Pakistan!!! with your jahalat, you have successfully helped india cause all that against Pakistan so you remain citizens of a 3rd world country. Musharaf tried but this is the image Pakistanis loves to remain with and they are getting it. Congratulations Pakistanio.

Makes me sick to my stomach to even address this ***** qaum.

 

[QADRI]

thats not a new thing they always like that, don't worry time will show differences.

 

[Spring Onion]

the talks will be resumed soon after situation clears as said by the US official.

No worries as the tone of the US officials is not that strong and that is what i consider the most favourable thing for us.
indeed we need to use our cards wisely.

 

[HAIDER]

Good lip service from pentagon.

 

[Sena Lee]

I believe the Pakistani government and people are capable of solving their problems during this difficult time.

 

[F.O.X]

I was really hoping that US&A makes this move.
belive me or not but it is gona work in favour in Pakistan, musharaf just wanted an excuse to tackle the things his way but US&A was not giving him that, now we will see a clear change of strategy against terrorism & state matters.


Regards
Wilco

 

[F.O.X]

I believe the Pakistani government and people are capable of solving their problems during this difficult time.

Inshallah!!

we have did this in past & we are capable of doing this now.


Regards
Wilco

 

[ghazi]

Musharraf declared emergency at the behest of US. Musharraf gets 2 billion dollars per year from US. He takes all the directions from US. He will never lose that money as long as he is in power!

 

[UnKnOwN]

Musharraf declared emergency at the behest of US. Musharraf gets 2 billion dollars per year from US. He takes all the directions from US. He will never lose that money as long as he is in power!

How do you know he gets $2 billion per month? Other politicians make more money but I doubt Musharraf is greedy for money.