<p>"The Chairman has repeatedly noted that the small number of US military trainers in Pakistan are there at the invitation of the Pakistani government, and therefore subject to that government's prerogatives," said a spokesman of Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.<br /><br />The comments came a day after the Pakistani army decided "to reduce the strength of US military personnel in Pakistan to the minimum essential".<br /><br />"He has seen press reporting that those prerogatives might be changing, but until such time as he has been officially informed of such by Gen (Ashfaq Pervez) Kayani, the Chairman will withhold comment," the statement said, adding Mullen continues to believe in the importance of US military partnership with Pakistan.<br /><br />"We have not been alerted (by Pakistan) to any new decision with regard to size of our military personnel in Pakistan," Col Dev Lapan, Pentagon spokesman said.<br />There are 300 US military personnel in Pakistan.<br /><br />Lapan said, Pentagon has so far not received any official communication from the Pakistani authorities about violation of their air space by the US military.<br /><br />The Pentagon statement came after the Pakistan Army in a statement from Rawalpindi said Kayani in a meeting with top commanders made it very clear that any similar action, violating the sovereignty of Pakistan, will warrant a review on the level of military (and) intelligence cooperation with the United States.<br /><br />"The Corps Commanders were informed about the decision to reduce the strength of US military personnel in Pakistan to the minimum essential," the Pakistan army statement said.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the relatively small US military contingent that's is there at the invitation of the Pakistani government and they're there to perform, train, and equip operations for the Pakistani military.</p>
<p>"The Chairman has repeatedly noted that the small number of US military trainers in Pakistan are there at the invitation of the Pakistani government, and therefore subject to that government's prerogatives," said a spokesman of Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.<br /><br />The comments came a day after the Pakistani army decided "to reduce the strength of US military personnel in Pakistan to the minimum essential".<br /><br />"He has seen press reporting that those prerogatives might be changing, but until such time as he has been officially informed of such by Gen (Ashfaq Pervez) Kayani, the Chairman will withhold comment," the statement said, adding Mullen continues to believe in the importance of US military partnership with Pakistan.<br /><br />"We have not been alerted (by Pakistan) to any new decision with regard to size of our military personnel in Pakistan," Col Dev Lapan, Pentagon spokesman said.<br />There are 300 US military personnel in Pakistan.<br /><br />Lapan said, Pentagon has so far not received any official communication from the Pakistani authorities about violation of their air space by the US military.<br /><br />The Pentagon statement came after the Pakistan Army in a statement from Rawalpindi said Kayani in a meeting with top commanders made it very clear that any similar action, violating the sovereignty of Pakistan, will warrant a review on the level of military (and) intelligence cooperation with the United States.<br /><br />"The Corps Commanders were informed about the decision to reduce the strength of US military personnel in Pakistan to the minimum essential," the Pakistan army statement said.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the relatively small US military contingent that's is there at the invitation of the Pakistani government and they're there to perform, train, and equip operations for the Pakistani military.</p>