ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—The U.S.do not talks in Washington included Pakistan due to an escalating diplomatic row over the detention last month of an American employed by the U.S. government who shot dead two armed men.A U.S. State Department statement Sunday said the high-level meeting involving Pakistan,
Afghanistan and the U.S. was called off "in light of the political changes in Pakistan." Pakistan's government Friday announced cabinet changes that removed Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the country's former foreign minister, from his post.
But a senior Pakistan foreign ministry official said Washington's cancellation of the meeting was intended to pressure Pakistan to release the U.S. government employee.
Pakistan police say preliminary investigations have shown the man, who they have named as Raymond Davis, is likely to be charged soon with murder.
Pakistani authorities say Mr. Davis is an employee of a U.S.-based security company who was working under contract for the U.S. government in Pakistan.
The U.S. government has given few details about the man, who it hasn't named. The embassy in Islamabad said the man, who it claims fired in self-defense, is covered by diplomatic immunity and should be immediately released.
Pakistani officials have publicly questioned whether Mr. Davis acted in self-defense and have said he may have known the attackers, but they have given no clear picture of what they think occurred.
The U.S. last week suspended several bilateral engagements with Pakistan after a high court barred Pakistan's government from releasing Mr. Davis, Pakistani officials said.
Abdul Basit, a Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman, said the cancellation of the Washington meeting won't affect the long-term strategic partnership between the two nations.
Pakistani officials said the Obama administration also has threatened to call off an upcoming state visit to Washington by President Asif Ali Zardari if the standoff over Mr. Davis doesn't end.
The visit was expected to take place in March, though no date was fixed.
No official at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad was available for comment.
Mr. Davis shot and killed two gunmen who tried to intercept his car in a congested market place in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Jan. 27. A second car, which came to extricate Mr. Davis from the situation, ran over and killed a bystander. Police arrested Mr. Davis and have held him in detention since then. The driver of the second car, who wasn't named, escaped arrest.
Afghanistan and the U.S. was called off "in light of the political changes in Pakistan." Pakistan's government Friday announced cabinet changes that removed Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the country's former foreign minister, from his post.
But a senior Pakistan foreign ministry official said Washington's cancellation of the meeting was intended to pressure Pakistan to release the U.S. government employee.
Pakistan police say preliminary investigations have shown the man, who they have named as Raymond Davis, is likely to be charged soon with murder.
Pakistani authorities say Mr. Davis is an employee of a U.S.-based security company who was working under contract for the U.S. government in Pakistan.
The U.S. government has given few details about the man, who it hasn't named. The embassy in Islamabad said the man, who it claims fired in self-defense, is covered by diplomatic immunity and should be immediately released.
Pakistani officials have publicly questioned whether Mr. Davis acted in self-defense and have said he may have known the attackers, but they have given no clear picture of what they think occurred.
The U.S. last week suspended several bilateral engagements with Pakistan after a high court barred Pakistan's government from releasing Mr. Davis, Pakistani officials said.
Abdul Basit, a Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman, said the cancellation of the Washington meeting won't affect the long-term strategic partnership between the two nations.
Pakistani officials said the Obama administration also has threatened to call off an upcoming state visit to Washington by President Asif Ali Zardari if the standoff over Mr. Davis doesn't end.
The visit was expected to take place in March, though no date was fixed.
No official at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad was available for comment.
Mr. Davis shot and killed two gunmen who tried to intercept his car in a congested market place in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Jan. 27. A second car, which came to extricate Mr. Davis from the situation, ran over and killed a bystander. Police arrested Mr. Davis and have held him in detention since then. The driver of the second car, who wasn't named, escaped arrest.
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