WASHINGTON - There has been no adverse impact on NATO's Afghan mission as a result of the closure of the supply route by Pakistan, top US officials asserted Friday, saying they were in talks with Islamabad on lifting the blockade. "I wouldn't go into any specific details about any on-the-ground adjustments that are being made as a result of the shutdown of these two gates. Since it has just occurred, there has not been an enormous impact on our ability to operate (in Afghanistan)," the Pentagon said.

But Defense Department spokesman, Navy Capt. John Kirby, acknowledged the problems could magnify over time. "We're going to make sure that the troops have what they need, when they need it, to get the mission done."

In a meeting with Defense Writers Group, Ivo Daalder, the US permanent representative to NATO, said the most immediate issue for the alliance was the fact that the logistical lines had been closed.

But it was not the first time the closure had happened, he said, recalling the last time the supplies were halted for 10 days. "It's a planning assumption that you can never rely on whatever logistical lines you have. You need to have many more and we do…" Daalder said.

In fact, majority of supplies now go through a variety of the Northern Distribution Network. "We are not at this point in a situation where our operations are hampered by the fact that this route is closed. But we would work and find ways to reopen these lines as soon as possible," he said.

"It is important to Pakistan; they are a source of income. They are a source of cooperation with Afghanistan. It is a major route for nonmilitary goods as well … so we are working through that situation to the best of our efforts," the US official said.

Meanwhile, Capt. Kirby asserted the US was taking all necessary measures to ensure there was no impact on its operations in Afghanistan. "Rest assured that everybody takes what happened last weekend very, very seriously, and up until that time, there had been a lot of effort put into our coordination and communication with the Pakistanis."