WASHINGTON, May 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States will not support a change of government in Pakistan except through a constitutional process.
"We would not be supportive of any effort to change the government of Pakistan in a way that is not part of the political process or constitutionally," Powell told India's NDTV.
The transcript of the interview, released by the State Department Saturday, quoted Powell as saying, "We have a relationship with Pakistan, and I think that we will continue to have a strong relationship with Pakistan."
Commenting on President Pervez Musharraf's recent interview in which he revealed that some "lower-ranking" officers from his army and air force were involved in two assassination attempts on him in December, Powell not only made it clear Washington would not support a change of government in Islamabad, but also praised Musharraf's role in cementing Pakistan's ties with the United States.
"Over the last couple of years, President Musharraf has done a great deal to help us create that strong relationship," Powell said.
Musharraf became a key U.S. ally after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States when he abandoned his former Taliban allies and joined the U.S.-led war on terror.
