Pakistan president to miss anti-Taliban "jirga"

KABUL, Aug 8 (Reuters) Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf pulled out a traditional council of Afghan and Pakistani leaders at the last minute today, dealing a blow to efforts to combat Islamist militants who have destabilised both countries.

The three-day council, or jirga, was agreed by the presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan in Washington late last year to bring together the two often-feuding, but important US allies to seek a common strategy against al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Musharraf's late withdrawal, citing other engagements, is a second setback for the jirga, already hit by a boycott by some Pakistani tribal groups.

''The president assured the Afghan president of Pakistan's full support in making the joint peace jirga a success,'' Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said Musharraf had told Afghan President Hamid Karzai in a telephone call. Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is to attend the talks in his place.

Afghan officials often accuse Pakistan of harbouring Taliban and al Qaeda fighters in order to keep its neighbour weak.

Pakistan denies the charge and points out it has arrested a number of senior al Qaeda leaders and is battling its own Taliban threat in tribal areas along the disputed Afghan border.

Some 175 Pakistani officials, politicians and tribal elders are to attend the jirga, in a large marquee in the Afghan capital, alongside a similar number from Afghanistan. Another gathering will be held in Pakistan, but no date has yet been set.

''The basic aim of this jirga is to find ways and means to restore peace in this region,'' said Pakistan's Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema.

''It's a good effort because for the first time tribal elders and politicians from both sides are meeting,'' said Rahimullah Yusufzai, a Pakistani expert on Afghan and tribal affairs said.

But expectations are not high.

''Any move toward dialogue has to be welcome,'' a senior Western diplomat said. ''If it comes off without a major fight, that'll be a good thing. If it establishes dialogue, then it will have been useful as a first step.'' SECURITY TIGHT A jirga is a traditional meeting among the Pashtun tribes that live on both sides of the border, where elders rule by consensus to try to peacefully settle disputes.

But in this case, one party to the conflict -- the Taliban -- will not be present. Consequently, tribal elders from Pakistan's tribal region of Waziristan and main pro-Taliban Pakistani politician Fazal-ur-Rehman are boycotting the jirga.

Security will be tight for the meeting for fear of attacks by the Taliban, whose fighters are also holding 21 South Koreans and a German hostage and have already killed three of their captives.

Nearly 2,500 police will guard the event, the Afghan Interior Ministry said.

U.S. officials say al Qaeda is regrouping in Pakistan and have not ruled out strikes inside Pakistani territory. Pakistan rejects such statements as ''irresponsible and dangerous'' and has said only its troops could carry out operations on its soil.

Pakistan does acknowledge cross-border incursions by the Taliban and their al Qaeda allies, but says growing insecurity in Afghanistan is due to its neighbour's own internal issues.

But one Pakistani tribal delegate from a border area seen as a hotbed of Taliban support and a staging post for cross-border militant attacks said Pakistan could stop the violence.

''If Pakistan is honest and sincere then Taliban activities can be stopped because Taliban centres are in Pakistan and they get financial assistance and training here,'' said Sardar Jilani Khan Achakzai from the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan.

''If Pakistan changes its attitude then all issues can be resolved.'' REUTERS AB VC2120