Mullen commends Turkey, comments on Pakistan

WASHINGTON, DC (PAN, a top US military leader has said.

“Quite frankly, Turkey’s contributions in Afghanistan have been significant. There is a long-standing cooperation with respect to where Iraq goes in the future,” said Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Mullen addressed reporters at a news conference at the Washington Foreign Press Center, saying Turkey has a great regional interest in Afghanistan and calling Turkey a critical member of the NATO alliance.  

Mullen also said that Washington’s relationship with Islamabad was difficult but would not be severed.

“We are in a very difficult time right now with respect to our military-to-military relationship. That said, I don’t believe we’re close to severing it, and we shouldn’t do that. I think sustaining this relationship is critical,” Mullen said.

“We’ve been through difficult times with them in the past, and we should see this difficult time through in terms of sustaining this relationship over time.”

He said that while the relationship should be recalibrated, Pakistani military leaders had expressed to him their commitment to continuing the relationship.

“We need to work out the details of how we’re going to do this,” he added. “What’s going on in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region is vital to the United States as a country, and certainly to them,” Mullen said.

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