Clinton, Gilani discuss soldiers' deaths

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Pakistani leader Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani America respects Pakistan's sovereignty, the State Department said.

During a conversation with the prime minister Monday, Clinton also expressed condolences to the families of 24 soldiers killed Nov. 26 in a NATO airstrike, and to the people of Pakistan, a report said.

She reiterated America's respect for Pakistan's sovereignty and the U.S. commitment to the countries working together "in pursuit of shared objectives on the basis of mutual interest and mutual respect."

Clinton's talk with Gilani came a day after President Barack Obama expressed personal condolences to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari concerning the NATO airstrike deaths, the White House said.

Pakistan has maintained the airstrike was unprovoked.

The strike in Pakistan's Mohmand tribal region near the border with Afghanistan further aggravated deteriorating U.S.-Pakistan relations.

Pakistan has taken a number of steps to express its anger while NATO investigates the incident. 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, Germany.