.:: SAMAA - Petraeus meets Pakistani leadership

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The cooperation between Pakistan and the United States has increased on war against terrorism, Head of US Central Command General David Petraeus said while talking to media Monday.

America would remain in contact with Pakistan on Afghanistan issue. The national consensus in Pakistan on war against terrorism is very exemplary. We are very impressed to see that Pakistan military, religious and political leaders have agreement on war against terrorism. Pakistan army has got greater successes in military operations in Swat, Malakand and South Waziristan. United States would continue to support Pakistan in war against terrorism. The war against terrorism came under discussion in meetings with Prime Minister syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, he added.

There is no Black Water in Pakistan. Al-Qaeda is facing financial crisis, he added.

Earlier, Head of US Central Command General David Petraeus held meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani in general Head quarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Inter-Services Public relations (ISPR) stated Monday.

United States Assistant Secretary of Defense also joined the meeting. The meeting discussed the regional situation and professional expertise. Both leaders discussed the war against terrorism. Both leaders also discussed new American policy on Afghanistan and Pakistan, ISPR added.

The military operation launched by Pakistan armed forces against terrorists also came under discussion in the meeting. The issue of starting vast military operation against terrorists in Tribal Areas also came under discussion, ISPR added.

Head of US Central Command General David Petraeus also held meeting Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in Islamabad on Monday.

The meeting also included Chief of army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and the United States Ambassador N.W. Peterson.

The meeting between the two leaders discussed the regional situation and war against terrorism. The meeting also discussed the reservations of Pakistan on new American policy for Afghanistan and the effects of American troops increase in Afghanistan on Pakistan. The meeting also discussed the military operation launched by Pakistan armed forces in South Waziristan and the terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

The visit of General Petraeus is taking place in view of the increase in American army in Afghanistan.

Earlier sources told SAMAA that Head of US Central Command will meet civil and military leadership. During the meetings, the ongoing operation against terrorists will be discussed and the Pakistani leadership will inform General Petraeus about possible negative impact of increase in number of allied forces in Afghanistan.

PAKISTAN NEEDS TO SPEED UP MILITARY OPERATION: PETRAEUS

Pakistan needs to speed up military operation in the tribal areas to put pressure on the leadership of the Afghan Taliban operating inside its borders for long-term progress to be made in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus said on Sunday.

'(To make) the really significant progress in Afghanistan that will be necessary over time... it would be very helpful if additional pressure could be put (by Pakistan) on the leadership of the elements that are causing problems in Afghanistan,' the head of the US Central Command told reporters on the sidelines of the sixth Manama Dialogue security conference.

He said, however, that Pakistani forces have carried out some 'quite impressive' operations against Pakistani Taliban forces, fuelled by the realisation that extremist groups operating in the country pose a threat.

'There was a recognition by all the Pakistani leaders (earlier this year)...that the main threat to the very writ of Pakistani governance was the internal extremist threat,' he said.

'That recognition is of considerable importance because it was that that has supported the Pakistani military and Frontier Corps in conducting some quite impressive operations' against extremist groups, primarily the Pakistani Taliban, he added.

President Barack Obama's administration has pressed Pakistan to move against Taliban and Al-Qaeda sanctuaries inside its borders, saying success in Afghanistan depended on disrupting the cross-border safe havens. SAMAA/AGENCIES