US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday called relations with Pakistan "frustrating" but stressed the ongoing need to work with the ally to eliminate terrorist havens, DPA reported.
"We're going to continue to make clear our expectations, we're going to continue to try to work with them across the entire political spectrum, we're going to demand more from them, but we are not going to expect any miracles overnight," Clinton told a Senate panel.
The US is not willing to provide military aid at the current pace "unless and until we see certain steps taken," she said. The US gives about 2.8 billion dollars each year to Pakistan, primarily in military aid.
The relationship between Washington and Islamabad has been further strained since a US military raid killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan last month.
"This is a long-term, frustrating, frankly, sometimes very outraging kind of experience," Clinton said of the dealings with Islamabad. "And yet, I don't see any alternative if you look at vital American national interests."