Pakistan’s role crucial for future of Afghanistan: Hillary Clinton

 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said Pakistan still has a crucial role to play in the future of Afghanistan, despite boycotting the recent Bonn Conference.

“I think it was unfortunate that they did not participate,” the Daily Times quoted Clinton, as saying.

“We regret the choice that they made because today’s conference was an important milestone toward the kind of security and stability that is important for Pakistan as well as for Afghanistan. We continue to believe that Pakistan has a crucial role to play,” she said, adding that she was encouraged by remarks by a Pakistani government official that it would continue cooperation, including in the fight against terrorism.

Pakistan had earlier turned down requests by Karzai, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and several other world politicians to join the Bonn Conference.

"Frankly this is regrettable that Pakistan has decided not to attend the conference in Bonn because this conference has been long in the planning," Clinton had said, adding tha Pakistan like the United States has a profound interest in a secure, stable and increasingly democratic Afghanistan.

NATO air strikes had killed around 24 Pakistani troops last week on the Afghan border in disputed circumstances, inflaming new tensions between Islamabad and the West.