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US asks Pakistan to close Taleban embassy in Islamabad

United States State Department spokesman Richard Boucher on Wednesday asked Pakistan to close down the Taleban consulate in Islamabad terming its presence as 'no longer useful'.

He also asked the Pakistani authorities to expel the militia's diplomats.

Boucher said the request to close down the consulate had been made after eight western aid workers, including two Americans, detained by Taleban in Kabul were freed.

"While we still had two American detainees and other foreigners detained in Afghanistan, we felt it was useful for (the Taleban) office to be there, to be open to offer the possibility of communication on the subject of our detainees should that be necessary," he told reporters at a press briefing in Washington.

"Given the developments of the past week -- the fact that the detainees are out -- at this point we don't really see any particular reason for that so-called embassy to stay open," Boucher added.

"We've been talking to Pakistani government about that (but) the decision in the end is for them to make and we'll leave it to them," he said.

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