Chicago, May 27 (IANS): The US has declined comment on revelations about Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence's (ISI) role in the Mumbai terror attacks, but said it was closely cooperating with the Indians on counterterrorism "certainly involving Mumbai".
"We've been closely cooperating with the Indians on counterterrorism, certainly involving Mumbai and the Mumbai attacks, but more on a broader level, too," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Wednesday.
"And that counterterrorism cooperation is extremely beneficial," he said when asked if the US was getting any phone calls from India or Pakistan about the revelations about ISI coming out in the ongoing Chicago trial of Pakistan born Tahawwur Rana.
Declining comment on the testimony of self-confessed Pakistani-American terrorist, David Headley aka Daood Gilani, Toner said: "I don't have any comment on it because it's an ongoing trial.
"I'm aware of a lot of the testimony that's come out in the press on this, but again, I'm limited to what I can say up here regarding testimony."
Asked about the rising tensions in US-Pakistan relations since the US raid on Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan, Toner said the US has "been through a period of challenges in our relationship with Pakistan.
"But everyone from the president (Barack Obama) on down in this government has been adamant that this is a strategic relationship that works, that has had success, that is in both ours and Pakistan's interest," he said.
"And so we're going to work through these challenges and move forward."
Asked about reports of US military presence in Pakistan being scaled down at the behest of Pakistan military, Toner confirmed that Pakistani government had asked the US to reduce its footprint.
Since US presence there "is at the invitation of the Pakistani government, certainly will do their best to accommodate their wishes", he said.
Asked if the Pakistani request was related to Osama killing, Toner said: "I honestly don't know. I wouldn't make, necessarily, that relation."