October 25, 2001	Thursday	Shaba'an 7, 1422

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WASHINGTON, Oct 24: A pause in the campaign in Afghanistan during Ramazan will depend on the military situation obtaining at that time.

This was stated by Secretary of State Colin Powell while answering reporters’ questions before beginning talks with visiting British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Wednesday. Britain is the closest and most active partner of the US in the war on terrorism, and Mr Powell and Mr Straw are expected to have detailed discussions on a post-Taliban set-up in Kabul.

Mr Powell said the US was sensitive to the fact that Ramazan would begin by the middle of next month, which would also coincide with the onset of winter. But the important point to remember was whether or not military objectives were met by that time.

If, Mr Powell said, the assessment was that it was necessary to continue military operations, then President George Bush would take that decision.

“We are sensitive to Ramazan, but that cannot be the sole determinant” of how the military campaign was conducted, Secretary Powell added.

Both Mr Powell and Mr Straw talked in general terms of the need for a broad-based government in Afghanistan. Mr Straw said a great deal of thinking was going on about a future administration for Afghanistan, and although it could not be said exactly what form of government would eventually emerge, “we can see the building blocks”.

SAME AGENDA: Earlier, on Tuesday, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher denied suggestions that Pakistan and the US might be following different agendas in Afghanistan.

Asked whether Taliban military commander Haqqani’s visit to Islamabad and his talks with Pakistani officials did not indicate that Pakistan perhaps had a different agenda than did the US, Mr Boucher said: “I think we found that in our discussions in Pakistan, we have quite the same agenda. Pakistan and the United States are both working very closely together in the struggle against terrorism. So I wouldn’t put any kind of interpretation on this reported visit. I’m not even sure I have seen it confirmed.”

Mr Boucher said he wouldn’t know why Mr Haqqani was in Islamabad. “Maybe we have always encouraged Taliban people to come across and to abandon the Taliban. Maybe he was there for that, although I don’t think that’s what the press reports said. Anyway, I will leave it to them to explain whatever discussions they might have had. But I don’t think there’s any question that we and the Pakistanis are pursuing the same goals, that we are working very closely together.”

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