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Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani has said that the "privately-rendered soft apology" by Commander General Allen of the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force), a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan, over the Salala incident is 'insufficient'. The BBC quoted an 'important Pakistan Army officer well aware of diplomatic endeavours', as saying that while General Kayani appreciated and encouraged the 'private apology' of General Allen, he called it insufficient. According to The Daily Times, General Kayani stressed the fact that the issue was not between two armies, but two states, and hence could only be resolved at the state level. Army sources have revealed that at the demand of General Kayani, the meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry, instead of being held at the GHQ in Rawalpindi , in presence of other army officers. According to sources, high-level diplomatic efforts had been made for the talks, and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had made a special request to Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in that regard. Sources also revealed that during the talks, other issues like drone attacks and resumption of NATO supplies through Pakistan were also discussed.

ISAF's soft apology on Salala incident insufficient: Kayani