US State Department, Pak Foreign Office spokespersons meet after unusual row

While her boss Mike Pompeo was busy holding talks with Pakistan's new leadership here, US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert Wednesday met her Pakistani counterpart after they were involved in an unusual row.

Nauert, who is accompanying Pompeo during his visit to Pakistan and India, tweeted a photo with Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal.

Faisal also retweeted Nauert's tweet, "Pleased to meet @DrMFaisal? my spokesperson counterpart in Pakistan. Thank you for hosting us! @statedept"

"Pleasure meeting my counterpart from US State Department," he said in another tweet.

Nauert and Faisal were involved in an unusual row over the content of a telephonic conversation between their bosses on August 24.

 

Faisal in a tweet took exception to a statement by Nauert that Secretary of State Pompeo discussed the issue of terrorism with newly-elected Prime Minister Imran Khan during their first telephonic talk.

Pompeo spoke to Khan for the first time after the cricketer-turned-politician assumed office on August 18 and sought "decisive action" against all terrorists operating in Pakistan, the US State Department said.

Soon after Nauert's statement, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Faisal said that "Pakistan takes exception to the factually incorrect statement issued by the US State Department on today's phone call between Prime Minister Khan and Secretary Pompeo".

"There was no mention at all in the conversation about terrorists operating in Pakistan. This should be immediately corrected," Faisal tweeted.

But Nauert stuck to her earlier statement.

She said Pompeo's discussion with Prime Minister Khan was good and the US State Deparment stands by its earlier readout of the telephonic conversation between the two leaders.

The US has long been frustrated with Pakistan's overt and covert support to the Afghan Taliban and other terror groups operating in the country, forcing the Trump administration to block USD million in military aid to the country.

The relations between Pakistan and the US nose-dived after President Donald Trump in January accused Islamabad of giving nothing to Washington but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists.