U.S. envoy holds key Pakistan talks

Visiting U.S. special envoy for Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, has held key talks with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. The talks were said to be focusing on the new U.S. regional strategy to confront the Taleban and al-Qaeda. U.S. envoy holds key Pakistan talks Associated Press quoted a presidential statement as saying Zardari had asked for "unconditional support" in his battle with militants. The U.S. regards Pakistan's cooperation as vital in its new regional drive. President Barack Obama recently unveiled the strategy, which combines Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of a new regional push to defeat the militants affecting both nations. The strategy is at the forefront of Obama's foreign policy agenda. Drone attacks Washington has been particularly concerned at the escalating Taleban insurgency on Pakistani territory. Increasing U.S. drone attacks on militants in Pakistan will be high on the agenda - Islamabad has always opposed them as a violation of sovereignty. The Obama administration has pledged more aid to Pakistan to combat al-Qaeda and the Taleban, but the money has still-unspecified conditions attached. The U.S. says it will provide substantial economic assistance for Pakistan - more than USD 1bn annually over the next five years. The BBC's says that Washington clearly hopes that the money might help provide the government in Islamabad with more of the resources it needs to combat the Taleban insurgency. In recent weeks the militants have shown themselves capable of carrying out major assaults in the heart of Pakistan - with dozens of people dying last week in a number of suicide bomb attacks. The Americans will worry that the stronger the militants become in Pakistan, the better placed they will be to launch operations against Western forces in Afghanistan, the BBC says. Pakistan's former foreign minister, Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, told the BBC that ordinary Pakistanis had not been convinced by Obama's efforts to win over the Muslim world. "There was a little bit of hope when Obama became the president, and the expectation was that there would be a little bit of shift in policy. But I don't think that has happened," he said. "The drone attacks continue, and they feel that there is little for Pakistan. Yes, they have said that they will be giving aid, but at what cost?" Holbrooke, who is Obama's top envoy to both Pakistan and Afghanistan, arrived in Islamabad after talks in Kabul. He was accompanied by Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and is expected to go on to India for discussion of regional security issues.

U.S. envoy holds key Pakistan talks

Associated Press quoted a presidential statement as saying Zardari had asked for "unconditional support" in his battle with militants.

The U.S. regards Pakistan's cooperation as vital in its new regional drive.

President Barack Obama recently unveiled the strategy, which combines Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of a new regional push to defeat the militants affecting both nations.

The strategy is at the forefront of Obama's foreign policy agenda.

Drone attacks

Washington has been particularly concerned at the escalating Taleban insurgency on Pakistani territory.

Increasing U.S. drone attacks on militants in Pakistan will be high on the agenda - Islamabad has always opposed them as a violation of sovereignty.

The Obama administration has pledged more aid to Pakistan to combat al-Qaeda and the Taleban, but the money has still-unspecified conditions attached.

The U.S. says it will provide substantial economic assistance for Pakistan - more than USD 1bn annually over the next five years.

The BBC's says that Washington clearly hopes that the money might help provide the government in Islamabad with more of the resources it needs to combat the Taleban insurgency.

In recent weeks the militants have shown themselves capable of carrying out major assaults in the heart of Pakistan - with dozens of people dying last week in a number of suicide bomb attacks.

The Americans will worry that the stronger the militants become in Pakistan, the better placed they will be to launch operations against Western forces in Afghanistan, the BBC says.

Pakistan's former foreign minister, Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, told the BBC that ordinary Pakistanis had not been convinced by Obama's efforts to win over the Muslim world.

"There was a little bit of hope when Obama became the president, and the expectation was that there would be a little bit of shift in policy. But I don't think that has happened," he said.

"The drone attacks continue, and they feel that there is little for Pakistan. Yes, they have said that they will be giving aid, but at what cost?"

Holbrooke, who is Obama's top envoy to both Pakistan and Afghanistan, arrived in Islamabad after talks in Kabul.

He was accompanied by Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and is expected to go on to India for discussion of regional security issues.