Islamabad , Pakistan ( CNN ) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday she did not come to Pakistan for `` happy talk . '' Her three-day trip is aimed at getting frank , open discussions going about the fight against terrorism , and that includes presenting U.S. concerns about how much success Pakistan is having , she said . In an interview with CNN , Clinton said it 's time to `` clear the air '' with a key U.S. ally . She added , `` I do n't think the way you deal with negative feelings is to pretend they 're not there . '' `` I think it 's important , if we are going to have the kind of cooperative partnership , that I think is in the best interest of both of our countries , for me to express some of the questions that are on the minds of the American people , '' Clinton told CNN 's Jill Dougherty . The secretary 's comments came a day after she seemed to question the commitment of some in the Pakistani government for going after the leaders of al Qaeda , who U.S. intelligence experts believe are taking refuge in Pakistan 's remote tribal areas . `` Al Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002 , '' she told a group of Pakistani journalists Thursday . `` I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and could n't get them if they really wanted to . '' She added , `` Maybe they 're not gettable . I do n't know . '' In the CNN interview Friday , Clinton said she was not suggesting that someone inside the government might be complicit with al Qaeda or might be failing to follow through in fighting the terrorist group . `` No , no , '' she said . `` What I was responding to is what I have been really doing on this trip , which is there exists a trust deficit , certainly on the part of Pakistanis toward the United States , toward our intentions and our actions . And yet we have so much in common , we face a common threat . We certainly have a common enemy in extremism and terrorism , and so part of what I have been doing is answering every single charge , every question . '' Trust `` is a two-way street , '' she added . While Pakistan 's military operation has been `` extremely courageous in both Swat and now in South Waziristan , success there is not sufficient , '' she said . `` ... I just want to keep putting on the table that we have some concerns as well . And I think ... that 's the kind of relationship I 'm looking to build here . '' Asked whether she had underestimated the level of anti-American sentiment in Pakistan , Clinton said , `` No , because I 've been following the research and the polling that 's gone on for a couple of years . I knew that we were inheriting a pretty negative situation that we were going to have to address . '' That 's why she wanted three days in the country , `` a long trip for a secretary of state , '' she said . `` I wanted to demonstrate that , look , we are not coming here claiming that everything we 've done is perfect . I 've admitted to mistakes by our country going back in time , but I 've also reminded people that we 've been partners and allies from the beginning of Pakistan 's inception as a country . Pakistan has helped us on several important occasions , and we are very grateful for that . So let 's begin to clear the air here . '' Clinton also commented on Iran , as the United States seeks clarification on whether the nation will agree to a deal brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency aimed at resolving a dispute about Iran 's nuclear program . `` I am going to let the process play out , but clearly we are working to determine exactly what they are willing to do , '' Clinton said . The secretary made a vow to Israeli and Palestinian leaders during the CNN interview as well . `` We 're going to do everything we can to try to clear away whatever concerns that the parties have , to actually get them into negotiations where they then can thrash out all of these difficult issues , '' she said . `` I think I 'm pretty realistic about what has to be overcome for there to be the level of acceptance that is required to get into these negotiations , '' she added . `` But remember , prior to negotiations , people stake out all kinds of positions , and then in the caldron of actually getting down to specifics , that all begins to be worked out . '' She referred to the experience of former President Bill Clinton . `` I watched in the '90s as my husband just kept pushing and pushing and pushing , and good things happened . There was n't a final agreement , but fewer people died , there were more opportunities for economic development , for trade , for exchanges . It had positive effects , even though it did n't cross the finish line . So I think that being involved at the highest levels sends a message of our seriousness of purpose . ''
Hillary Clinton says she aims to address questions that Americans are thinking about . The former secretary of state is expected to announce her candidacy for president in the next few weeks. On Thursday , she said she wondered why terrorists had n't been found and dealt with . She said she was n't suggesting Pakistan was complicit with al Qaeda or did n't want to fight it .