Pak eventual solution to terrorism: US-Thursday, January 13, 2011

Pak eventual solution to terrorism: US

Updated on Thursday, January 13, 2011, 09:26

Washington: The United States sees Pakistan as part of the "eventual solution" to global terrorism, the White House has said.

At the same time, White House official Mike Hammer, during an interaction with foreign reporters based in New York and Washington through video conferencing, insisted that any resolution to this would be through the "process of engagement with Pakistan and its leaders."

"We will continue those efforts to engage with Pakistan, because Pakistan is part of what we see as the eventual solution to some of the issues that we face in terms of the terrorist and extremist threat that originates from that area of the world," Hammer, spokesperson of the National Security Council, said in response to a question.

Meanwhile, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, is scheduled to be in Washington later this week to attend the memorial ceremony of Richard Holbrooke, who was Obama Administration's point man for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He died last month of sudden illness.

"We are engaged with Pakistan on multiple levels throughout the year. And I remember with former National Security Adviser General (James) Jones took several trips (to Pakistan). I was with him on a couple of them. We expect to maintain that engagement.

"Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman (Admiral Mike) Mullen has been out there. A number of other senior officials, Secretary (of State, Hillary) Clinton, of course, have made visits. So it is something that needs to be worked on," Hammer said.

The Obama Administration, he said, was having a very robust engagement with the Pakistani government, as partners to assist them in addressing some of the challenges they face. US also gives the Pakistani government and the military a lot of credit for what it has done in terms of going after extremism and recognising that it poses a threat to the country, he said.

"So I think this will continue. But rest assured that we're fully focused on this and we'll continue to be," the official added.

PTI