US-Pakistan ties “complicated but very important”

Mum’s the word on the arrest of Pakistani CIA informants:

US: The White House on Wednesday termed the U.S.-Pakistan relationship as complicated but very important, underscoring that the key South Asian country’s anti-terror cooperation has been vital to American security efforts in the region.

Pakistan has been an important partner in the relationship, that we have worked hard on. We have candidly acknowledged that it is complicated, it is difficult but it is very important, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said at the daily briefing.

The White House spokesman would not speak specifically to the reported arrest of Pakistanis who worked as informants for American central intelligence agency in the operation leading to elimination of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden from his Abbottabad hideout.

Both the White House and State Department Wednesday defended close relations with Pakistan and highlighted the cooperation Islamabad has extended in dealing with terrorist threat over the years. In stressing the importance of U.S.-Pakistan relationship, Carney remarked that Washington’s relationship with Pakistan is in national security interests of the United States. The cooperation that we do get from the Pakistanis has been vital to our efforts.

That is why we continue to work with Pakistanis to make sure that cooperation continues. Associated press of Pakistan