Asia-Pacific

Pakistani spy chief cancels UK trip over Cameron's comments

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-31 19:32

British Prime Minister David Cameron smiles during a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart in New Delhi, India, Thursday, July 29, 2010. [Agencies]

LONDON - Pakistan's intelligence chief has canceled a scheduled visit to Britain in protest against comments made by British Prime Minister David Cameron earlier this week.

Cameron provoked an angry response when he said Pakistan was promoting the export of terror and looking both ways in dealing with militant groups during his visit to India.

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Ahmed Shujaa Pasha, head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), had been scheduled to discuss counter terrorism cooperation with British security services in London.

An ISI spokesman confirmed the cancellation of the visit to The Times newspaper, adding that "such irresponsible statements (of Cameron) could affect our cooperation with Britain."

But British authorities said Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's scheduled visit to London will proceed as usual. Zardari planned to pay a three-day visit to Britain next week, during which he is expected to stay with Cameron at his country retreat Chequers.

"Our understanding is that the visit is on," said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

Cameron's remarks followed the leak of US military documents on the WikiLeaks website in which the ISI was accused of secretly helping the Afghan insurgency.