WASHINGTON, Nov 2: Senior US officials do not rule out the possibility that people in countries neighbouring Afghanistan may continue to have “unhelpful” dealings with the Taliban but believe that the Pakistan government is making every effort to make sure that no support goes to the Kabul regime.

This is the impression gathered after official statements here following allegations in newspaper reports that the Taliban have been receiving military, fuel and other supplies covertly from Pakistan, allegedly with the tacit support of elements in the intelligence services.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share a long and porous border that cannot always be effectively policed, and there has always been a thriving cross-border arms trade, with the so-called tribal areas awash with weapons. Other countries around Afghanistan have also had arms trading links with the Taliban.

Apparently reflecting understanding of this situation, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld points out that states neighbouring Afghanistan have long histories and relationships, and says he does not “doubt for a minute that there are people in any number of those countries who have relationships and dealings across borders that are unhelpful to us”.

But, Mr Rumsfeld stressed at a Pentagon briefing, there was no question that Pakistan and the president of Pakistan and his government were “very much allied with us in this (anti-terrorism) effort and have been enormously supportive and helpful. So to suggest that it is a conscious effort on the part of the government would be a misunderstanding of the situation.” He refused to say whether the issue would be discussed with Gen Pervez Musharraf “if and when” he meets the Pakistani leader.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice also struck more or less the same note, telling reporters at the White House that the US was getting “very good cooperation” from Pakistan, and that Islamabad was doing whatever it could to avoid a situation where help could be sent to the Taliban.

At the State Department, spokesman Richard Boucher said Pakistan had made every effort to prevent any aid of a military nature from going to the Taliban. He said: “We’ve excellent cooperation from Pakistan. We’ve got a lot of help and support in the campaign, and I think we have every indication that the Pakistani government will be trying to avoid anything like that (secret supplies). The Pakistani government has made every effort to make sure that no support goes to the Taliban.”

PROPAGANDA: It has been announced meanwhile that, concerned about the war to mould public opinion on the current military offensive in Afghanistan, the United States as decided to establish a round-the-clock information centre in Washington with links with similar centres in London and Islamabad. Confirming this, Dr Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday the centres would seek to provide timely information on the war against terrorism.