US says Pakistan ties face 'clear challenges'

US Politics Garden

WASHINGTON - US State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said Monday that relations with Pakistan have some "very clear challenges" due to Islamabad's suspected ties with a militant group.

The remarks came at a time when the two countries' already fragile ties sunk to a new low after senior US officials, including Chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, explicitly accused Pakistan of backing the Haqqani network which was blamed for the recent attacks on the US embassy in Afghanistan.

"I think it's clear that terrorism is a threat to both Pakistan and to the United States, and we're committed to working with the Pakistani Government to address it," Toner told reporters at a regular briefing, suggesting that Washington is considering designating the Haqqani network as a foreign terrorist organization.

"As far as our concerns about the Haqqani Network, that's been raised at the highest levels," he said, citing the recent remarks by US State Secretary Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Mullen.

He said the status of the bilateral ties is "certainly a matter of concern," but he emphasized that Washington is addressing these concerns by "working constructively with the Pakistani government."

Toner said the US government has slapped sanctions on the "kingpins" of the Haqqani network, including its financiers, leadership and dangerous operatives, suggesting that Washington is considering the designation of the group as the foreign terrorist organization.

"The idea that we haven't gone after the Haqqani Network at all, I think, is a mischaracterization," he added.

The recent US harsh criticism has been met with outright denial and outrageous reaction from Pakistan which has warned that Washington may lose an ally of the war on terror.

US-Pakistani relations have already deteriorated this year after tensions rose over a secret US commando mission to kill al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan without the permission from Islamabad.

US Politics Garden

S Korea, US to hold annual trade talks

US Politics Garden

SEOUL - South Korea and the United States are set to hold two-day trade talks later this week, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.

During the annual talks opening Wednesday in Seoul, trade officials are expected to discuss trade remedies including antidumping, protection of intellectual property rights, technical barriers to trade (TBT) and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, according to the ministry.

Launched in 2001, the talks have been held in Seoul and Washington by turns to discuss impending trade issues between the two countries.

Reports say trade officials are not planning to discuss ratification of the long-pending two-way free trade agreement between Seoul and Washington. The trade deal, signed in 2007 and supplemented last year, awaits legislative approval in both countries.

The trade agreement is widely expected to be endorsed prior to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's scheduled visit to the US next month.

US Politics Garden

Obama asked to probe Bush on detainee abuse

WASHINGTON - A human rights group on Tuesday asked US President Barack Obama to order a criminal investigation into allegations of detainee abuse authorized by former President George W. Bush and other senior officials.

In a 107-page report entitled, "Getting Away with Torture: The Bush Administration and Mistreatment of Detainees," the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said overwhelming evidence of torture by the Bush administration obliges Obama to issue such an order.

"There are solid grounds to investigate Bush, (former Vice-President Dick) Cheney, (former Secretary of Defense Donald) Rumsfeld, and (former CIA Director George) Tenet for authorizing torture and war crimes," said HRW Executive Director Kenneth Roth. "President Obama has treated torture as an unfortunate policy choice rather than a crime."

The Bush administration -- the CIA in particular -- has been under strong criticism for its mistreatment and abuse of prisoners after September 11. Documents showed the CIA had employed "enhanced techniques" to varying degrees, including stress positions, extreme temperature changes, sleep deprivation and "waterboarding" in the interrogation of some detainees.

"The US has a legal obligation to investigate these crimes," Roth said. "If the US doesn't act on them, other countries should."

The human rights watchdog criticized the Justice Department for its limited scope in investigation into potential detainee abuse.

"In August 2009, US Attorney General Eric Holder appointed Assistant US Attorney John Durham to investigate detainee abuse but limited the probe to 'unauthorized' acts. That meant the investigation could not cover acts of torture, such as waterboarding, and other ill-treatment authorized by Bush administration lawyers, even if the acts violated domestic and international law," it said.

The Justice Department wrapped up last month its preliminary investigation into the matter, concluding that a full criminal probe was only necessary in the case of two deaths in custody.