U.S. sticks to immunity in Davis case

[sonicboom]

U.S. sticks to immunity in Davis case
Published: March. 4, 2011 at 1:41 PM

WASHINGTON, March 4 (UPI) -- Washington insists that embassy employee Raymond Davis has diplomatic immunity in Pakistan despite a ruling by a lower court in Lahore, a spokesman said.

A lower court in Pakistan ruled Thursday that Davis, described as assigned to the administrative and technical staff of the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan, doesn't appear to be protected by diplomatic immunity.

The provincial court in Lahore ruled Thursday neither Davis nor the Pakistani government provided documentary evidence that he is a protected diplomat.

Davis is accused of killing two Pakistani men in January. He claims the men were trying to rob him and he shot them in self-defense.

Several media outlets, citing unnamed sources, said Davis was working in Pakistan for the CIA.

P.J. Crowley, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, said Washington was "concerned" about the ongoing court proceedings in Pakistan. He maintained that, while Washington can't comment on the litigation, the U.S. government feels Davis has "full immunity from criminal prosecution."

Crowley said that informing the Pakistani government that Davis arrived in the country for work at the embassy addressed the question of immunity.

"We did provide a diplomatic note in January 2010 that informed the government of Pakistan of his arrival in country, his assignment to the administrative and technical staff of the U.S. Embassy," he told reporters during his regular press briefing. "And that was notification that he, in fact, has diplomatic immunity."



Read more: U.S. sticks to immunity in Davis case - UPI.com

[Mastankhan]

Hi,

This Davis issue has created a lots of problems for the U S---seen and unseen---the isssue of prcedence setting comes foremost to the mind.

What will happen is that now every other nation would want to follow the footsteps of pakistan----they would start by saying----we dopn't accept these executions carried out by you americans----.

As a matter of fact---it has already happened today---and it dawned on me about what Hamid Karzai has done today-----He has made a statement to the american general in AFG---his apology---the american apology for the execution of the afghan children by u s gunship helicopters is not accepted---.

If pak doesnot release Davis and keeps him in state---the days of outside vendors doing the agency work are numbered all over the world---the U S will have to find other venues to seek help.

Now---pakistan is fortunate as well that while right after the Davis affair as america was building steam and getting angrier by the day at pakistan and was on the verge of doing something serious stupid----they had already done the stupid---when Obama and Clinto openly threatend pakistan---that their allies in the middle east starting losing their govt's like the falling nione pins in the bowling alley----first Tunisia---then egypt---then major unrest in Bahrain the base for u s navy---major issues in yemen----algeria and then in libya where things blew up for the worst.

America suddenly got trapped in its own spin---after losing in the middle east---they made Zardari look bad in front of pakistani---lost the support of Gilani---lost the support of Shah Mahmood----who is possibly the future prime minister of pakistan----what a master stroke the Obama adminstration has played with U S politics---oh and I forgot---they threatened to kick out Haqqani from the U S----.

You know what---I live in the u s and I should not say that----but I will---U S is stupid----they don't know that pakistanis hate Haqqani----they would rather have him fired and sent back to pakistan where the pak public can deal with him----and Haqqani will never go back----pakistanis will string him alive.

Another good thing that has come out of it is that----isi is back in the driver's seat----the ppp had bashed isi during Musharraf's regime and made it look bad in front of all the world----.

It is amazing---time is a great leveller---now what needs to be seen is what are the paks going to do with Davis and his cohorts.