Staff Report
WASHINGTON: The US has claimed that all technical issues with Pakistan over the restoration of NATO supply routes have been resolved and that the dialogue over political aspects is currently in progress.

Meantime, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has called a meeting of the federal cabinet’s Defence Committee.

Confirming that Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides held talks with Pakistani officials in Islamabad, State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the two countries have been talking on wide-ranging issues including working on supply lines.

The spokesperson recalled the Pakistani and American technical teams had covered a lot of dimensions towards restoration of the land routes for supplies to the NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan.

The spokesperson also noted at the State Department news briefing that the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a telephonic call to new PM Ashraf “to wish him well in his new post.”

In her call to the prime minister Raja, Secretary Clinton also noted that we want to continue our engagement and work through the issues the two countries still have, the spokesperson said.

Meantime, American media reports last week said the Pentagon has requested the Congress to move $ 2.1 billion dollars from other heads to cover high costs of transporting supplies into Afghanistan via the northern routes and by air.

Earlier reports said the closure of Pakistani routes was costing Washington $ 100 million in extra expenditures every month. CNBC/ AGENCIES