JNN 14 Dec 2010 : British Prime Minister David Cameron has failed in his attempts to mend fragile relations with Pakistan after he was snubbed by his Pakistani counterpart, news reports said.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousef Reza Gilani has turned down a demand by David Cameron to visit Islamabad on his way to Afghanistan, the Daily Mail newspaper reported.

The British premier’s attempt to invite himself ended in a firm refusal, as Prime Minister Gilani said he did not want to be tagged onto a visit to Afghanistan, the report said.

Cameron wanted to visit Pakistan to try and repair relations after he accused the country of exporting terror during a visit to India.
The Prime Minister also suggested that Pakistan had links with terrorist groups, and was guilty of double dealing by aligning itself with both the West and the forces it was opposing.

“We can not tolerate in any sense the idea that this country is allowed to look both ways and is able, in any way, to promote the export of terror, whether to India or whether to Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world”, Cameron told the audience in Bangalore, India.

Pakistan voiced dismay at the remarks, noting that Cameron’s remarks were prompted by classified US military reports published by the whistle-blowing WikiLeaks Website.

Cameron often tries to squeeze several countries into a single foreign visit, as he has to try and deal with the recession and cuts agenda at home.

The UK Prime Minister made a phone call to Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday night. The two leaders discussed bilateral issues as well as regional and international developments.