ISLAMABAD – US State Department’s spokesperson Heather Nauert has respondedover the issue of the controversial statement by the Secretary of StateMike Pompeo in telephone call with PM Imran Khan.

State department in Thursday’s press briefing, stood by the department’sreadout on the phone call between Prime Minister Imran Khan and USSecretary of State Michael Pompeo earlier in the day.

A readout issued by US state department had said: “Secretary Pompeo raisedthe importance of Pakistan taking decisive action against all terroristsoperating in Pakistan and its vital role in promoting the Afghan peaceprocess.”

Soon after, the Foreign Office had taken exception to the “factuallyincorrect statement issued by the US State Department” regarding thediscussion during the phone call, saying there was “no mention at all inthe conversation about terrorists operating in Pakistan”.

During the press briefing, when asked about Pakistan’s call for immediatecorrection to the readout, Nauert answered that both sides had a “goodcall”.

“In the readout, the secretary notes that he spoke with the new primeminister and expressed his willingness to work with the new governmenttoward a productive bilateral relationship. They had a good call,” shesaid. “That may surprise some of you, but they had a good call. Pakistan isan important partner to the United States. We hope to forge a good,productive working relationship with the new civilian government.”

She went on to say that based on her understanding, “the beginning of thecall or the call itself was a good call, and a good discussion toward ourworking with the new government and the new administration”.

When asked again by a reporter if the US government continues to stand bythe readout, she said: “We stand by our readout.”