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Zardari asks U.S. to respect Pakistan's judiciary

Xinhua, February 17, 2011

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday asked the United States to respect judiciary of Pakistan, which has put on trial a U.S. employee for shooting dead two Pakistanis in the city of Lahore last month.

The U.S. calls for the release of the shooter, Raymond Davis, saying that he enjoys diplomatic immunity and must be freed. Pakistan says courts will decide the issue.

Senator John Forbes Kerry, chairman of U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who is in Pakistan to seek the release of Davis, met President Zardari.

Briefing the media about the meeting, Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar said that Zardari during the meeting said that the Raymond Davis issue was not as simple as it was sometimes being portrayed.

"It is a complex issue with several dimensions all of which had to be taken into account for an amicable resolution," the resident said.

He said that "we wish an early and amicable resolution of the issue."

He said that the strategic partnership and the mutually cordial relations between the two countries should not be allowed to be sacrificed or compromised by predicating them on any single issue.

The president also said that there was a need to proceed with caution and showing respect for sensitivities and sensibilities of all concerned. He said it was important for the two countries for the sake of mutual trust.

The matter is before the court, which has also fixed a date for hearing. Pakistan expects that its judicial processes will be respected, Babar said.

John Kerry also met Pakistani Prime Minister and opposition leader Nawaz Sharif and reports said he will also meet Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani.