July 30, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 29, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, July 29: US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen Richard Myers arrived here on Tuesday for consultations with his Pakistani counterpart and senior officials in the military establishment.

Gen Myers flew in from New Delhi after holding talks there with the top brass of the Indian armed forces.

The US general, who is leading a seven-member delegation, met the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Gen Mohammad Aziz Khan, and other top-level military officials in the afternoon.

Gen Myers and members of his delegation were given a special briefing on Pakistan’s security perspective at the Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

“During the meeting professional matters and issues of mutual interest were discussed,” said a brief statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate after the meeting.

Tension along the Afghan border, ongoing operation against Al Qaeda, the situation in Iraq, bilateral defence cooperation and Pakistan’s security concerns vis-a-vis India also figured in discussions, sources said.

The sources said Gen Myers also raised the issue of Pakistan sending troops to Iraq.

Both President Musharraf and Prime Minister Jamali have indicated that Pakistan would contribute to the stabilization force in Iraq only under the UN mandate or the cover of the OIC or the GCC.

Senior officials maintain that there is no pressure from Washington to send troops to Iraq but the US officials hope that Islamabad will join the stabilization force in Iraq.

The US government is keen to relieve its troops that are facing stiff resistance from the Iraqis. Currently, there are around 145,000 US troops in Iraq. So far, 19 countries have sent troops to Iraq and another 15 have committed to do so.

US embassy spokesperson Linda Cheatham told Dawn that the visiting US general had no scheduled meeting either with President Gen Pervez Musharraf or Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali.

She said Gen Myers would leave for Kabul on Wednesday.

Gen Myers will visit US-led coalition troops serving in Afghanistan on Wednesday and meet Afghan officials, adds AFP.

The US general will visit Bagram Air Base to meet leaders of the US-led military coalition in Afghanistan, the US military said on Tuesday. “During his visit, Gen Myers will be meeting with the CJTF 180 (coalition) leadership to discuss a range of issues,” the statement said.

AFP ADDS: President Musharraf on Tuesday spoke by telephone with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, a senior State Department official said. No details of the conversation were available.