WASHINGTON: Severely strained ties between the United States and Pakistan are poised to improve after the two countries agreed on Tuesday to reopen ground routes key for the war in Afghanistan, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman said.

“We appreciate Secretary Clinton's statement, and hope that bilateral ties can move to a better place from here. I am confident that both countries can agree on many critical issues, especially on bringing peace to the region,” Ambassador Rehman said in a statement.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton earlier on Tuesday said the United States was “sorry for the losses suffered by the Pakistani military” when US aircrafts killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last November.