Munter offers help on memo

  US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter on Tuesday termed Memogate scandal as Pakistan?s ?internal issue?, but said if requested he will help out in the inquiry.
Speaking to the media in Rawalpindi, Munter said the US supported democracy and strong institutions in Pakistan, so the issue needed to be dealt with by Islamabad. He expressed his confidence that the issue would not affect bilateral relations of the two countries. ?We respect Pakistani institutions to address that matter? we are strongly supportive to the democratic process (in Pakistan), the constitution, the rule of law, your country, and the will of Pakistani people to make sure that there will be justice? we support that and see how it will work?.
To a question regarding replacing Pakistan?s Ambassador Haqqani from Washington, Munter said, ?We have to wait and see?, adding that the fate of the envoy is for Pakistan to decide. ?We need to find out from this inquiry what this memo is and what it really meant.
I can only say that I had not seen the memo until it was published.? Replying to a question about his meeting with Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the presence of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Ahmed Shujah Pasha, Munter said, ?I met with Imran Khan and I met with General Pasha but I have not met them together.?
A leading British newspaper claimed on Sunday that Imran recently met Munter in the presence of Pasha a report strongly denied by the military, as well as the PTI.
Quoting sources, The Sunday Times alleged that Imran was introduced to Munter in Pasha?s presence, adding that the PTI chief is supported by the Pakistani intelligence agency and military. However, a spokesman for the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Monday that the report was ?totally baseless and concocted?.
Answering another question about any soft corner for Imran Khan, Munter said, ?People (in Pakistan) are looking for leadership, people are looking for a kind of society where there is openness, and many people of this country are talking about a political system that will be transparent, that will be open and democratic, prosperous and stable,? adding that, ?you will always hear from us supporting those kind of ideas.?