WASHINGTON, Sept 30: Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali arrived here on Tuesday for talks at which he could be asked to defuse opposition to the deployment of Pakistani troops to Iraq.

Upon his arrival at the Andrews Air Base, Mr Jamali was received by senior US officials including Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca, US ambassador to Pakistan Nancy Powell and officials of the Pakistan embassy.

In informal conversations with South Asian journalists, US officials indicate they believe that Mr Jamali can play a role in easing some of the political opposition to troop deployment.

They point out that despite his low profile Mr Jamali enjoys good relations with several senior politicians, including the exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

The Bush administration realizes that many in Pakistan oppose sending troops to a fellow Muslim country. US officials acknowledge that Pakistanis are particularly upset at the prospect of their troops working with a force that is playing an occupying role.

Explaining Pakistan’s position, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said: “We are willing to send our troops if there is an international mandate, such as a UN resolution or a request from the Gulf Cooperation Council or the Organization of Islamic Conference.

“But we are concerned about the reaction of the Iraqi people and would be happy if an interim Iraqi setup that is representative of the Iraqi people also endorses the request”.

Diplomatic observers, however, give their own spin to Pakistan’s position on the issue. They say that Pakistan has, in principle, agreed to contribute at least 10,000 troops to an international peacekeeping force the US is trying to set up for Iraq. They speculate that Pakistan may deploy its troops to Iraq by the end of this year if the situation at home does not take a negative turn.

“The suggested endorsement from an Iraqi setup is not a condition,” said a senior diplomatic source. “It is more to help Pakistan send the troops.”

“... an endorsement from an Iraqi administration will allow the Pakistani government to say that its troops are helping the Iraqi people,” the diplomat said.

Both Pakistani and US officials say an endorsement, whether from the United Nations or the Iraqi administration, will not be enough. The Pakistani government will also need political support, particularly to prevent opposition parties from launching a campaign against the decision.

This is where Mr Jamali comes into play. US officials say that despite his apparent weaknesses, Mr Jamali is still an elected leader whose party has a majority.

They point out that Mr Jamali is a senior politician who has been active in politics for more than 30 years. They acknowledge that Mr Jamali is not an orator or a high-profile public figure, but they believe that he can effectively lobby other politicians because of his long association with them.

Some South Asian diplomats say that Mr Jamali has kept his communications lines open to opposition parties, including the MMA, which places him in a somewhat comfortable position for reaching out to them.

Besides Pakistan, Turkey has indicated it will agree within two weeks to provide as many as 10,000 troops for Iraq. More than six months after it refused to help the Pentagon overthrow Saddam Hussein, Turkey is again a key to US military plans in Iraq. US officials hope that even as other countries drag their feet, Turkey this time will deliver.