WASHINGTON, April 14: Both the White House and State Department praised Pakistan as a valuable ally in the war against terror after the reported killing on Thursday of a key Al Qaeda operative.
“Pakistan is a very good ally of the US. … We appreciate what they’re doing to go after former members of the Taliban and Al Qaeda and bring them to justice,” White House spokesman Scott McClellan told a briefing in Washington.
At a similar briefing State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said he was not in a position to confirm whether the Al Qaeda operative killed in Anghar, North Waziristan, was Atwah but he had no doubt that “fighting Al Qaeda is an important priority for President Musharraf.”
At the White House, Mr McClellan refused to comment on a question by a reporter, who claimed that President Musharraf had announced a five-year extension in his tenure as a military ruler,
“I don’t know whether I saw that announcement,” said the White House spokesman. “But President (Bush) had a very good visit with President Musharraf when he went to Pakistan just recently.”
At their meeting in Islamabad, the two leaders also had a discussion about the importance of continuing to move on the path of democratic reform, he said.
“You heard very clearly from President Musharraf at that press availability in Pakistan speak to these issues and express his commitment to continue moving down that path,” said Mr McClellan, adding that the US will continue to encourage democratic reforms in that country.
The White House spokesman said that after 9/11, America’s relationship with Pakistan has changed. “We appreciate their efforts, and we will continue working closely with them in the global war on terrorism.”
While continuing bilateral cooperation against terror, the US will also continue talking with Pakistan on ‘important priorities’ about democracy, urging them to move forward on democratic reforms, he said.
At the State Department, spokesman McCormack said officials in Pakistan were in the best position to confirm whether they had killed Atwah but “we believe that in President Musharraf, we have a good partner in fighting the war on terrorism, fighting Al Qaeda.”
He said fighting Al Qaeda was not only important in the global war against terrorism, “but Al Qaeda itself presents a threat to Pakistan, so they devote quite a few resources to that fight.”
Mr McCormack said while he could not confirm the identity of the individual killed in North Waziristan, he would like to reiterate Washington’s commitment to “see justice done” against those responsible for bombing US embassy in East Africa. “We want to see individuals held to account for what they have done.”
Mr McCormack confirmed that there was a reward for capturing or killing Atwah and said that the US will continue to pursue those who have committed acts of terror, regardless of how long it takes.
