June 17, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 12, 1429

LONDON, June 16: President Bush has virtually backed President Karazai’s threat to send troops into Pakistan in hot pursuit of Taliban as in answer to a question on the issue at the joint press conference with prime minister Gordon Brown here on Monday, he said if he were the president of a country and if people were allegedly coming in from another country to kill innocent people “I would be concerned about it.”

The US President was asked if he approved of President Karzai’s threat to send his troops after Taliban inside Pakistan.

He recalled that in the past a jirga was held among tribal leaders from both sides of the border and “it made a difference. I think it is a good idea. They could restart the jirga process.”

He reiterated that there was a need for dialogue between the two neighbouring countries, and trilateral cooperation between Pakistan, Afghanistan and foreign troops there for border patrolling.

“It is in no one’s interests that extremists have a safe haven from which to operate. Obviously, it’s a testy situation there. We can help calm the situation down,” Bush said.

In his opening remarks, Mr Brown announced freezing of foreign assets of Iran’s biggest bank, Bank Milli, and warned Tehran of further isolation over its nuclear enrichment programme.

Later, the British defence ministry announced that 230 or so extra British troops will join the 7,800 already in Afghanistan. The additional force will consist of specialists, including engineers and training instructors, who can help build up Afghanistan’s civil infrastructure and train the Afghan army and police forces.