BERLIN, Jan 22: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday pressured President Pervez Musharraf to stick to his pledge to hold free elections but said she understood democracy was not “born in a minute.”

Ms Rice is due to see Mr Musharraf on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“We are all working very hard with the Pakistanis to try and ensure that the elections will be an opportunity for Pakistan to get back on a democratic path and an opportunity for Pakistanis to come together,” Ms Rice told reporters travelling with her to the German capital for meetings on Iran.

“These elections need to be elections that will have the confidence of Pakistanis. That is the important point,” she said of the Feb 18 poll, which is meant to complete a transition to civilian rule in Pakistan.

Mr Musharraf kicked off a trip to Europe on Monday by urging the West not to set unrealistic standards on human rights and democracy and said Western preoccupation with the issues was “obsessive.”

Asked about Mr Musharraf’s comments on democracy, particularly ahead of the poll, Ms Rice said there would be setbacks but leaders had an obligation to push as hard as possible.

“No one has ever said that democracy is something that is born in a minute. It does take time, but you have to get started and you have to start putting in place the institutions that will secure democratic values and that will allow people to exercise their rights to freedom,” she said.

Pressed on his comments that the West was obsessed with human rights and democracy, Rice said: “Should one be obsessed with the rights of human beings to live in freedom? Maybe so?”

US officials have grown increasingly concerned about instability in western Pakistan, which they say has become a haven for Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders.

“The assistance is aimed at very important goals and that is not going to change,” said Ms Rice.

Mr Musharraf, who took power in a military coup in 1999, imposed emergency rule in November. Limits on civil rights remain in effect despite a formal end to the crackdown last month.

Ms Rice said the situation in Pakistan was “obviously complicated” but she praised Mr Musharraf for being a strong ally in fighting terrorism.

“We have to have a long-term, consistent, predictable relationship with Pakistan,” she said.--Reuters