WASHINGTON – The top U.S. military officer, Marine General Joseph Dunford,said on Monday he was committed to the U.S.-Pakistan relationship, whichhas been strained in recent weeks as Washington piles pressure on Islamabadto crack down on militants.

“Do we agree on everything right now? No we don’t. But are we committed toa more effective relationship with Pakistan? We are. And I’m not giving upon that,” Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a smallgroup of reporters during a trip to Brussels.

The United States has long blamed militant safe-havens in Pakistan forprolonging the war in neighboring Afghanistan, giving insurgents, includingfrom the Haqqani network, a place to plot attacks and rebuild their forces.

Still, Pakistan is a crucial gateway for U.S. military supplies destinedfor U.S. and other troops fighting a 16-year-old war in Afghanistan.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump’s administration, frustratedover Pakistan’s failure to do more to combat militants, announced a plan tosuspend up to roughly $2 billion in U.S. security assistance.

That triggered outcry in Islamabad. Pakistan’s military said its army chieftold U.S. General Joseph Votel, head of the U.S. military’s CentralCommand, that Pakistan “felt betrayed” by U.S. criticism.

In a possible sign of efforts to improve relations, Alice Wells, principaldeputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, met withPakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua in Pakistan on Monday.

A statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Wells “acknowledgedPakistan’s efforts in eradicating terrorism” and “underlined the need forstrengthening intelligence cooperation” to fight terrorism.

Dunford was careful in his public remarks but made clear that Votel wouldcontinue to lead the military-to-military discussions. Dunford said he andU.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis would also contribute to that dialogue.