May 20, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 14, 1429

WASHINGTON, May 19: The White House said on Tuesday that in his meetings with Afghan and Pakistani leaders in Egypt during the weekend, US President George W. Bush had urged them to work together to confront the threat of terrorism emanating from their region.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Scott Stanzel, while talking about the Bush-Gilani meeting, noted that the Federally Administered Tribal Areas remained “an area of concern” for the United States.

“Well, the president’s message has remained consistent, that we have to work with our allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan to confront the dangers that we all face mutually,” said Mr Stanzel when asked what message Mr Bush conveyed to the two leaders he met at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Shaikh.

“Obviously, the terrorism has struck significant blows in both of those countries. And it’s up to us to remain vigilant in confronting terror,” said the White House official.

Mr Stanzel also referred to a US National Intelligence Estimate, released last year, pointing out that it talked at length about “our concerns with terrorism taking root” in the tribal areas.

Asked what message President Bush received from Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Mr Stanzel noted that Pakistani troops have suffered a lot of casualties in their confrontation with terrorists in that area.

“So that is the message the president received. And I think what he heard back from the leaders was that we will continue to work together, because these are challenges that we face; all three of these nations.”

Earlier, transcripts released by the White House indicated that the Bush-Gilani talks also focused on insurgency in the tribal areas

“The Prime Minister and I talked, of course, about our common desire to protect ourselves and others from those who would do harm,” said Mr Bush after his meeting with Mr Gilani.

Since taking power earlier this year, the Gilani government has opened talks with tribal chiefs in hopes of ending terrorist attacks inside the country.

The official Voice of America radio, in a dispatch from Sharm el-Sheikh on the Bush-Gilani meeting, reported that the Bush administration has conveyed its opposition to Islamabads peace talks with the tribal militants.

“Washington believes an earlier arrangement by President Pervez Musharraf allowed Al Qaeda to regroup,” the report added.

Neither leader publicly addressed Islamabads talks with the militants while speaking to reporters but in his brief remarks President Bush reminded the prime minister more than once that he needs to fight the terrorists hiding inside his country.

“I want to thank your steadfast support and your strength of character and your understanding of the problems we face,” said Mr Bush while referring to his talks with Mr Gilani on US concerns about the situation in the tribal areas.

Even while talking about economic matters President Bush emphasised that prosperity in Pakistan will help defeat terrorism.

“The truth of the matter is, in a population that has got hope as a result of being able to find work, is a population that is going to make it harder for extremists and terrorists to find safe haven,” said the US president.

The White House transcript indicates that Prime Minister Gilani also raised the issue of smuggling of Pakistani wheat to Afghanistan which Islamabad says contributes heavily to a food shortage in Pakistan.

Mr Bush discussed this issue with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan as well but the solution he offered will take a long time to materialise.

“I told the Prime Minister that one thing we can do, having talked to the President of Afghanistan, is help Afghanistan grow wheat, help Afghanistan become self-sufficient, which will take the pressure off of the people of Pakistan,” he said.

US officials who briefed the American media on the talks noted that Washington sees Islamabad as a crucial ally in the fight against terrorism. They claimed that Washington continues to worry about the Fata because Al Qaeda has rebuilt much of its organisational capabilities in the area and can hit targets anywhere in the world if it wishes to do so.