Obama hopes Pak parliamentary review will respect US security needs

Seoul, Mar 27 (ANI): US President Barack Obama has expressed hope that a Pakistan parliamentary review of ties with Washington would be balanced and respect US security needs.

Obama conveyed this to Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in Seoul, South Korea, The Dawn reports.

Their meeting comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Pakistan following a series of incidents like the Osama operation, last November's NATO attack, which have marred trust between both countries.

The relationship breaking point in November when US forces returned fire they believed came from a Pakistani border post, killing 24 Pakistani troops.

Both leaders spoke of their mutual interest in a stable Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Pakistan's parliament has been drawing up recommendations on how to proceed on ties with Washington.

"I welcome the fact that the parliament in Pakistan is reviewing, after some extensive study, the nature of this relationship," Obama said.

"I think that it's important for us to get it right. There have been times - I think we should be frank - in the last several months where those relations have experienced strains," Obama added.

Pakistan shut off ground supply lines to the US-led NATO mission in land-locked Afghanistan in the wake of the Salala attack.

Obama said he hoped the parliamentary review would take a "balanced approach that respects Pakistan's sovereignty, but also respects our concerns with respect to our national security and our needs to battle terrorists who have targeted us in the past". (ANI)