WASHINGTON, April 20: A senior US diplomat told reporters on Thursday that he met Pakistani politicians during his recent visit to Pakistan because he wanted to know their views in the context of the 2007 elections.

Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, who returned from a visit to South Asia last week, also acknowledged that Pakistan could not be briefed about some aspects of the Indo-US nuclear deal because the agreement was finalised in the “very last moment”.

Mr Boucher said the US has “a very broad agenda” in Pakistan, ranging from strategic cooperation to economic assistance and educational reforms. The US, he said, would like to see Pakistan “a more democratic society.” Mr Boucher said: “Political parties have their issues which are between them and the government of Pakistan.”

When a reporter asked him to explain what he meant by seeking more democracy in Pakistan, Mr Boucher said: “Democracy is not only holding elections. It requires building of institutions. The population should be educated. There should be a strong and independent press and an independent judiciary.”