US will assess Pakistan ties soon: Blinken
The United States will be looking at its relationship with Pakistan in the coming weeks, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, to formulate what role Washington would want it play in the future of Afghanistan.
Testifying before Congress on the Taliban victory in Afghanistan, Blinken heard from lawmakers across party lines who pushed for a harder line on Pakistan, an uneasy partner of Washington over the 20-year war.
He said Pakistan has a "multiplicity of interests some that are in conflict with ours."
"It is one that is involved hedging its bets constantly about the future of Afghanistan, it's one that's involved harboring members of the Taliban, including the Haqqanis ... It is one that's also involved in different points cooperation with us on counterterrorism," Blinken said.
The top US diplomat also called on Pakistan to deny legitimacy to the Taliban unless they meet international demands.
Asked by lawmakers if it is time for Washington to reassess its relationship with Pakistan, Blinken said the administration would soon be doing that.
"This is one of the things we're going to be looking at in the days, and weeks ahead - the role that Pakistan has played over the last 20 years but also the role we would want to see it play in the coming years and what it will take for it to do that," he said.
Democratic Representative Joaquin Castro, one of several lawmakers to criticize Pakistan, called on the United States to consider removing its status as a major non-Nato ally, which gives Islamabad privileged access to US weaponry.
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