ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has rejected US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's call to reconsider the decision on boycotting the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan, slated for Monday. In a telephonic conversation with the prime minister late on Saturday, Clinton said the United States respected Pakistan's sovereignty and the Washington-Islamabad relationship should not be affected by NATO airstrikes on Pakistani check-posts.

Gilani's office said the prime minister reminded Clinton of the unanimous decision of the Defense Committee of the Cabinet and the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on staying away from the meeting as a mark of protest over the late November raid in Mohmand Agency.

"Gilani told Clinton that a review of the decision was not feasible at this stage since the Parliamentary Committee on National Security had supported the move when it met three days ago," the prime minister's office said.

Clinton conveyed her personal condolences on the deaths of more than two dozen Pakistani soldiers in the assault. She said the attack was not intentional and that they must wait for the outcome of the investigation.

On Wednesday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai also called Gilani, urging him to reconsider the boycott decision, but the prime minister turned down his request.

The White House, the State Department and the Pentagon have not only stressed their desire to see Pakistan in Bonn but have also expressed hopes tensions caused by the airstrikes will not derail the bilateral relationship.