U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says drone air strikes against militants in Pakistan will end "very, very soon."
Kerry, speaking on Pakistani television late on August 1, said Washington's drone program "will end as we have eliminated most of the threat."
Kerry's remarks came after he told journalists in Islamabad that the United States and Pakistan were working to remove "irritants" in their relations.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who met with Kerry, has demanded an end to drone strikes, saying they violated Pakistan's sovereignty.
Kerry's comments went further than those of President Barack Obama, who said in May that the need for drone strikes would decrease in "the Afghan war theater" as U.S. forces pull out from Afghanistan next year.
Obama did not say Washington would end drone strikes entirely.
Kerry, speaking on Pakistani television late on August 1, said Washington's drone program "will end as we have eliminated most of the threat."
Kerry's remarks came after he told journalists in Islamabad that the United States and Pakistan were working to remove "irritants" in their relations.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who met with Kerry, has demanded an end to drone strikes, saying they violated Pakistan's sovereignty.
Kerry's comments went further than those of President Barack Obama, who said in May that the need for drone strikes would decrease in "the Afghan war theater" as U.S. forces pull out from Afghanistan next year.
Obama did not say Washington would end drone strikes entirely.
