Pak seeks UK's help in resolving unilateral strikes row with US

London, Sept 17 : Newly-elected Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has reportedly sought UK's help in resolving the simmering row with Washington over US' unilateral strikes on its (Pakistan's) tribal areas.

He said Britain had a better understanding than any other country, and hoped that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown would use his influence on others (read the US).

"Britain has always had a better understanding of the Subcontinent than any other country so if [the UK] will take our point of view and put it across to the world I think it will be better," the Daily Times quoted Zardari as saying.

Zardari declined to comment on whether Brown thought the raids were wrong, but said, "Brown did agree that they did not help."

Asked if Pakistani troops had been authorised to fire on US soldiers crossing the Pakistani border to conduct raids, Zardari said, "I don't think there will be any more [raids]."

Earlier, Brown said in a joint statement with Zardari that Pakistan and Afghanistan must take the lead in clamping down on extremism along their border, although the international community can help.

They noted "a particularly acute problem with extremism emanating from the Afghanistan/Pakistan border region. This had an impact on Pakistan as much as anywhere else, but was also impacting on UK forces in Afghanistan".

ANI