ISLAMABAD, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the country will stay engaged with the United States but wants its territorial integrity to be respected.
The comments came amid tension following U.S. President Donald Trump's accusations last month that Pakistan is providing "sanctuaries" to terrorist groups, the charges Islamabad had rejected.
Asif, who was briefing reporters on Thursday about the outcome of a three-day envoys' conference in Islamabad, focused on the on-going tense relationship between Pakistan and the United States and other important issues.
"We want to stay engaged with the United States. But unfortunately people in Washington do not have a full comprehension of the facts," the foreign minister said.
"Pakistan will defend its territorial integrity and will not compromise on national interests. We expect the U.S. to accept that," he said.
He insisted that the United States must recognize realities on ground as Pakistan will not accept any pressure to make the country scapegoat.
He said the envoy's conference reviewed, besides other key issues, relationship with the United States as well as India and the situation in Afghanistan in the wake of the U.S. new strategy.
On Afghanistan, Asif insisted that the U.S.-led NATO could not win the war in spite of having more than 100,000 troops, adding that Pakistan should not be blamed for failure in Afghanistan.
