US hopes to work with new govt: Mullen

Pakistan is a sovereign country, the US top military officer says Washington would work with the new government when it comes up with its strategy to combat terrorism along its Afghan border.Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiapparal Mike Mullen stated on Wednesday that the new government could have a new direction but expressed the confidence that the key South Asian country would continue to be a close anti-terror partner.I from my perspective, we got good military-to-military contacts, so that the right contact level for those of us in the military. And I think we need to be mindful that this is a new government, new leadership, could certainly have new direction and that they, too, are a sovereign country.They are a strong ally. They been a strong ally in this war on terror, and I believe they will continue to be. And we just need to be thinking about how to both recognize this new government, what their plans will be, and then work with them accordingly Mullen told a Pentagon briefing. He was speaking after new Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and senior coalition leaders in Islamabad received their first in-depth briefing on the fight against terrorism from the nation top military officials. Admiral Mullen told reporters that as with any new set up, it going to take some time for the new government to establish itself fully and get headed in the direction that they want to go.