Negroponte to visit Pakistan to press for elections

WASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) The No 2 official at the US State Department will travel to Pakistan late this week to urge President Pervez Musharraf to end his emergency rule and hold free and fair elections, a State Department spokesman said.

Spokesman Tom Casei said Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte would travel to Pakistan around the end of the week.

Casey told reporters he expected Negroponte to repeat in private US public calls for an end to emergency rule and for holding democratic elections.

''We continue to want to see elections move forward and move forward in a free, fair and transparent manner. We want to see the emergency decree lifted,'' he said.

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