Joe Biden meets Asif Ali Zardari briefly at private Iftaar dinner

WASHINGTON: US Vice President Joe Biden had a "brief interaction" with former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari at a private Iftaar dinner hosted by an eminent Pakistani-American.

The presence of Zardari and Biden at the same private dinner yesterday has generated wild speculations in a section of the Pakistan media, fueling reports about a possible political realignment in Pakistan, which the White House said is not accurate.

"The Vice President did not have a meeting with former Pakistan President Zardari. They happened to be at the same private event and had a brief interaction," a White House official told PTI.

Requesting anonymity, the officials said that the press accounts in this regard are not quite accurate.

A section of the Pakistani media today reported that Zardari had an hour long meeting with Biden.

The two leaders discussed bilateral ties and the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan, Sama TV reported.

Tuesday's Iftaar Dinner was hosted by Ray Mahmud, an eminent Pakistani American.

A real-estate developer, Mahmud is said to have had played a key role in improving ties between the then Bush administration and the former Prime Minister late Benazir Bhutto.

Zardari had appointed Mahmud as Pakistan's Ambassador-at-large.

Unlike in the past, the former president was accorded an official welcome by the Pakistan Embassy in US.

At the direction of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani went to the airport to receive Zardari; a privilege, media reports said, was rarely accorded to former heads of State when they visit the US.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Prime Minister's Special Adviser for Foreign Affairs, Tariq Fatemi, is currently here to hold talks with officials of the Obama Administration.