WASHINGTON, Sept 6: Welcoming Asif Zardari’s election as president of Pakistan, the White House said on Saturday that President George Bush looked forward to working with him.

The statement, delivered by the national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe, came hours

after Mr Zardari’s election and dismissed media speculations that the White House was not happy with the PPP co-chairman’s sudden rise to power.

“The United States congratulates Asif Ali Zardari on his election as president,” said Mr Johndroe.

“President Bush looks forward to working with him, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the government of Pakistan on issues important to both countries, including counterterrorism and making sure Pakistan has a stable and secure economy,” he said.

Although brief, the message contained America’s two main concerns about Pakistan: its role in the war on terror and the fear that a weak economy could destabilise this important ally, jeopardising US strategy for combating extremists.

The US media, while reporting Mr Zardari’s victory, noted that the presidential election in Pakistan was considered crucial to US foreign policy and to the war on terror.

The media noted that Mr Zardari’s victory had pleased the Bush administration because it would once again allow the US to deal with a strong figure in Pakistan, as it did with former president Pervez Musharraf.

“The elevation of Mr Zardari to the presidency, where he will have great powers, including the ability to dissolve parliament and name the head of the Pakistani Army, comes with the tacit approval of the United States,” The New York Times said.

“Mr Zardari has promised a tougher fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda extremists ensconced in the nation’s tribal areas,” the report added.

The Washington Post published an agency report from Islamabad which warned that despite Mr Zardari’s easy win on Saturday, “there are fears his rule will mark a new phase of instability in a nuclear-armed Muslim state rife with anti-Western sentiment”.