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Obama calls Zardari over soldiers' deaths

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. President Obama expressed personal condolences to Pakistan's president Sunday on the NATO airstrike deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers, the White House said.

Obama telephoned President Asif Ali Zardari "to personally express his condolences on the tragic loss of 24 Pakistani soldiers this past week along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan," the White House said in a statement.

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"The president made clear that this regrettable incident was not a deliberate attack on Pakistan and reiterated the United States' strong commitment to a full investigation."

The statement said the two leaders "reaffirmed their commitment to the U.S.-Pakistan bilateral relationship, which is critical to the security of both nations, and they agreed to stay in close touch."

The Nov. 26 NATO airstrike in Pakistan's Mohmand tribal region near the border with Afghanistan has further aggravated the deteriorating U.S.-Pakistan relations, and Pakistan has taken a number of steps to express its anger even as NATO is investigating the incident. The Pakistani reactions include closing its supply routes to the coalition forces in landlocked Afghanistan and deciding against attending this week's international conference on the future of Afghanistan in Bonn.

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The Wall Street Journal reported Obama's offer of his condolences is another sign the White House's efforts to ease tensions.

The Journal noted while offering condolences, U.S. officials haven't apologized for the airstrike as the investigation is still under way.

Pakistan has maintained the airstrike was unprovoked. However, an earlier Journal report, quoting U.S. officials, said Afghan and U.S. commandos during an operation against militants on the night of airstrike had received clearance for it from a joint border coordination center run by U.S., Afghan and Pakistani officials.

Pakistani officials say U.S. forces gave the wrong location for the strike, although U.S. officials say their information was accurate, the Journal said.

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