Pakistan boycotts Bonn conference over NATO strike

The Pakistani cabinet made the decision at a meeting in the eastern city of Lahore, just days after Islamabad confirmed it was mulling its attendance in the German city of Bonn, where Pakistan was considered a key player.

"The cabinet has decided not to attend the Bonn meeting," a government official said condition of anonymity. Tuesday's talks also decided to call a joint session of parliament to discuss the fallout.

The cabinet branded "unilateral action" such as Saturday's NATO strike and the May 2 killing of Usama bin Laden by American forces, which brought the US relationship to its lowest level in years, "unacceptable", the prime minister's office said.

German chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "very sorry" about a boycott by Pakistan and said Germany would still "see what could be done to change" Islamabad's decision and attend the Dec. 5 conference.