WASHINGTON: Top US envoys are in Pakistan to show Washington intends to work with the new government in fighting extremism, while still working closely with President Pervez Musharraf, a US official said.
Deputy US Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher flew into Islamabad for talks Tuesday focusing on Pakistan's cooperation in efforts against al-Qaeda and Taliban militants.
"It's really to reinforce with the new government that we look forward to working with them, certainly talk about our interests and certainly we're going to hear back from them on their interests," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters. "Our primary interest there is helping the Pakistani people broaden and deepen the political and economic reform process that has begun in that country and also to work with them to combat the threat that exists to Pakistan and the Pakistani people as well as to us and others in the region from terrorists and violent extremists," McCormack said.
"These two things are linked in our view," he added.
Asked whether Washington could ever support negotiations with rather than military action against extremists, he replied it was important to listen to the new government's views.
"Let's hear what they have to say first rather than try to play this game in public, that's the reason why the deputy secretary went there to talk to this new Pakistani government and political leadership how they see the way forward," he said.
But he did not say whether Washington considered him indispensable when asked to repeat an adjective used here in the past.
"He's clearly an important person in Pakistani political life and he's done a lot of very positive things for his country and put them on an important course for its greater political and economic openness," McCormack said.
