Do more against Taliban, al Qaeda, Cheney asks Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Feb 26 (Reuters) US Vice President Dick Cheney pressed Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to step up efforts to combat a new Taliban offensive in Afghanistan and a resurgent al Qaeda, during an unannounced visit to Islamabad today.

''He asked President Musharraf that Pakistan should do more,'' a Pakistani official said after the meeting between Cheney and Musharraf at the presidential palace.

''Cheney, however, appreciated Pakistan's efforts and steps being taken to combat terrorism,'' the official added.

Cheney arrived under tight security after spending the night in Oman and left for an undisclosed destination after a one-on-one lunch with Musharraf.

His visit to Islamabad coincided with one by Margaret Beckett, Britain's foreign secretary. Beckett also held talks with Musharraf today morning.

The United States is bolstering its troop presence in Afghanistan by 3,200 to help repel fierce spring fighting anticipated by the United States and NATO after the bloodiest year there since the Taliban was ousted by US-led forces in 2001.

The New York Times reported today that President George W Bush had decided to send an unusually tough message to Musharraf, warning him that the newly elected Democratic US Congress could cut aid unless his forces became more aggressive in hunting down al Qaeda operatives.

Pakistan has been fighting Islamist guerrillas based in its tribal lands, but while hundreds of al Qaeda fighters have been arrested and handed over to the United States, barely any Taliban leaders have been caught.

Musharraf says Taliban fighters do operate from Pakistan, but says the militants' leaders are in Afghanistan.

''The president made it clear to Cheney that Pakistan is doing its best and militancy and violence are Afghanistan's problems and their roots are there, not in Pakistan,'' the Pakistani official said.

Musharraf has warned that the conflict could deteriorate into a ''people's war'' unless President Karzai's government in Kabul does more to win over alienated ethnic Pashtuns living in the region.

The United States has about 27,000 troops in Afghanistan, of which about 15,000 are in the NATO force and the rest on missions ranging from counter-terrorism to training.

Cheney's stop was added to an Asia trip during which he visited Japan and Australia, two staunch US allies that have lent their support in Afghanistan and in the increasingly unpopular Iraq war.

Under Musharraf, Pakistan became a key ally in Washington's war on terror after the September 11 attacks by withdrawing its support for the Taliban government, sharing intelligence with US officials and rounding up suspected Islamic militants.

US FRUSTRATION Although Bush publicly praises Musharraf's support on counter-terrorism, US officials have voiced frustration over Taliban sanctuaries on the Pakistani side of the porous border with Afghanistan.

A general who came to power in a military coup more than seven years ago, Musharraf gets cut a lot of slack, according to analysts, because his allies see no other Pakistani leader capable of delivering as much as he has already done in terms snuffing out al Qaeda.

With elections due in Pakistan later this year, and US pressure building on neighbouring Iran over its nuclear programme, analysts say Washington is likely to remain careful of saying anything publicly that could hurt Musharraf domestically.

The Pakistan army has lost more than 700 troops fighting the Taliban and al Qaeda in the Waziristan tribal region, but a peace deal made last year as casualties mounted has created a virtual Taliban mini-state, according to experts.

''It's clearly unacceptable the amount of difficulty being created for our troops and for NATO in Afghanistan by the lack of Pakistani resolve with the Taliban,'' Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana told a Senate hearing.

Bush has been criticised for pursuing war in Iraq at the expense of Afghanistan, a charge the administration denies.

His new push in Afghanistan has solid support in Congress, unlike his plan to send another 21,500 US troops to Iraq, which has drawn ferocious opposition from Democrats.

REUTERS PB BST1710