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Pakistan to discuss Taleban strategy with Afghans
 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri will visit Kabul this week to discuss with Afghan authorities how to combat a growing insurgency in the ethnic Pashtun belt straddling their long, porous border. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Kazai, agreed in September to call traditional tribal gatherings, or jirgas, on both sides of the border to win support against a resurgent Taleban.Maybe they can call a lashkar and break out the drums ... Basically, he will discuss how to bring about peace and calm in bordering areas of the two countries, Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told a weekly news conference, referring to Kasuris Dec. 7-9 trip. The focus would be how to activate traditional institutions to bring down violence and promote peace in the bordering areas, she said, referring to the proposed jirgas. "Because that's what we're all about, peace and fluffy kittens ..." Aslam said Kasuri would discuss Pakistans strategy to use political and economic means in tandem with military tactics to combat the insurgency. We would like to see peace in Afghanistan, she said. "On our terms, of course ..." It is our conviction that for that we require a comprehensive strategy which must have political reconciliation, massive economic reconstruction, apart from the military action that is already being taken. "None of which will be provided by us ..." Posted by: Steve White 2006-12-05 |
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