War against terror essential to Pak survival: US
The US says the military operations against the insurgents is not a favour Pakistanis are doing but is essential to their survival.
By PTI |
WASHINGTON: The US has underlined the "limited capability" of Islamabad to fight the militants in its restive tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, saying the military operations against the insurgents is not a favour Pakistanis are doing but is "essential to their survival".
"They (Pakistan) also recognize there is a serious terrorist threat, and I think the government is increasingly recognizing it is a threat to Pakistan," said Stephen Hadley, the US National Security Advisor.
The top US official said "dealing with that terrorist threat is not a favor they are doing to Afghanistan or a favor they're doing to us -- it is something that is essential to their survival," he said.
Hadley was briefing reporters ahead of the President George W Bush visit to New York to attend the UN summit, where he is expected to meet a number of world leaders including the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari. The Bush-Zardari meeting is set for September 23.
He said the "Pakistanis understand that in the short run they have limited capability to deal with that problem".
"It's a daunting challenge and it will be very challenging for the Pakistanis," the White House official maintained.
He emphasised the need to have coordinated approach to deal with the problem. "Our policy is that the terrorism threat that is in the border areas of Pakistan and the border areas with Afghanistan is a threat to Pakistan, to Afghanistan, to the United States, and our friends and allies," Hadley stressed.
"And therefore, it is a threat in which we need to be working together to try and deal with this challenge. We have, as you know, encouraged trilateral cooperation between the United States, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. We obviously have more to do," the security Advisor said.
"They (Pakistan) also recognize there is a serious terrorist threat, and I think the government is increasingly recognizing it is a threat to Pakistan," said Stephen Hadley, the US National Security Advisor.
The top US official said "dealing with that terrorist threat is not a favor they are doing to Afghanistan or a favor they're doing to us -- it is something that is essential to their survival," he said.
Hadley was briefing reporters ahead of the President George W Bush visit to New York to attend the UN summit, where he is expected to meet a number of world leaders including the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari. The Bush-Zardari meeting is set for September 23.
He said the "Pakistanis understand that in the short run they have limited capability to deal with that problem".
"It's a daunting challenge and it will be very challenging for the Pakistanis," the White House official maintained.
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He emphasised the need to have coordinated approach to deal with the problem. "Our policy is that the terrorism threat that is in the border areas of Pakistan and the border areas with Afghanistan is a threat to Pakistan, to Afghanistan, to the United States, and our friends and allies," Hadley stressed.
"And therefore, it is a threat in which we need to be working together to try and deal with this challenge. We have, as you know, encouraged trilateral cooperation between the United States, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. We obviously have more to do," the security Advisor said.
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