Negroponte meets Kasuri

Islamabad, June 16 (UNI) US Deputy Secretary of State John D Negroponte today held talks with Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri on the ongoing cooperation in counter-terrorism and ways to defeat Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.

Mr Negroponte, who is visiting Pakistan for the first time since assuming his new assignments, underlined the US interest in deepening Pakistan-US strategic dialogue.

The visit, which took place after meetings held by US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher with Pakistani leadership during the last two days, underscored the importance Washington is attaching to holding of free and fair parliamentary elections early next year and Islamabad's support in curbing activities of insurgent Taliban in Afghanistan.

The NATO, Afghan and the US officials have repeatedly expressed concern over re-grouping of Taliban in Pakistani tribal regions bordering Afghanistan after the government signed peace deals with the local tribesmen in South and North Waziristan.

However, Pakistan, which has deployed over 80,000 troops on its borders with Afghanistan to curb cross-border movements by Taliban, says that the peace deals have helped flush out foreign militants from the two areas where a series of military operations killed hundreds of al-Qaeda fugitives during the last four years.

''Mr Negroponte told Mr Kasuri that the US viewed its ties with Pakistan as a vital relationship and is committed to further strengthening and expanding them,'' Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said in a statement after the meeting.

Mr Kasuri highlighted expanding cooperation in diverse fields and affirmed Pakistan's commitment to further deepening cooperation in all areas of common interest.

UNI