File photo taken with mobile phone on May 22, 2016 shows a destroyed vehicle believed to be hit by a U.S. drone strike in Ahmad Wal, a small town in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province. Pakistani government sources have confirmed the killing of the Afghan Taliban top leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor in a U.S. drone strike in the country's southwest remote area of the Pak-Afghan border region, reported local Urdu TV channel ARY. (Xinhua/Stringer)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- The United States reaffirmed Thursday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pressed Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan in an earlier phone conversation to combat "terrorists," despite denial by Islamabad of the content.
In a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert refused to speculate on why the two sides had such a huge difference on their understanding about the call.
"I can't speak on their behalf. I can only say we stand by our readout," she said.
She added that Pompeo and Khan had a "good" call, and that "we hope to forge a good, productive working relationship with the new civilian government."
In an earlier statement issued on the same day, Nauert said Pompeo "raised the importance of Pakistan taking decisive action against all terrorists operating in Pakistan and its vital role in promoting the Afghan peace process."
Mohammad Faisal, spokesperson of Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs, denied Nauert's claim. "Pakistan takes exception to the factually incorrect statement issued by US State Dept on today"s phone call btwn PM Khan & Sec Pompeo," he tweeted.
"There was no mention at all in the conversation about terrorists operating in Pakistan. This should be immediately corrected," he said.
Relations between the United States and Pakistan have been tense following U.S. President Donald Trump's tweet on Jan. 1 in which he accused Pakistan of "lies and deceit" against the United States and providing a "safe haven" to terrorists despite receiving U.S. aid.
Pakistan has insisted, however, that Washington's aid is reimbursement of the cost of ground facilities and air corridors used for U.S. operations in Afghanistan, not financial aid or assistance.
Islamabad also rejects U.S. claims that it supports the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network operating in the country. Both groups are designated by Washington as terrorist organizations.
