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WASHINGTON Former president Pervez Musharraf has had 'official contacts' with the Obama administration but such contacts have no significance, says the US State Department.
Asked if anybody from the State Department had met the former Pakistani ruler, spokesman Ian Kelly told a briefing that the United States regarded Mr Musharraf as a private citizen only and therefore any contact with him would also be of a private nature.
'As far as Gen (retd) Musharraf is concerned, Gen (retd) Musharraf is a private citizen now. I am not aware of any official contacts that we have had with Gen (retd) Musharraf,' Mr Kelly told a separate briefing. 'That's not to exclude that we haven't had official contacts.'
A former chief of the army staff, Mr Musharraf, is currently on a lecture tour in the United States, defending his role in the war against terror and criticising the current Pakistani and US governments for not doing enough to uproot militancy.
There were reports in the media that former army chief Musharraf is seeking to meet senior US officials as well in an attempt to present himself as an alternative to the current Pakistani leadership.
At a separate briefing, US special envoy Richard Holbrooke said the United States would not interfere in issues related to the former general.
'Former president Musharraf is former president Musharraf. He can say anything he wants. He doesn't speak for the government (of Pakistan),' said Mr Holbrooke when asked to comment on his activities in the United States.
'He is free to do what he wants, both here and in Pakistan. And we will not interfere in the issues concerning him and his status. I want to stress that,' Mr Holbrooke added.
