WASHINGTON, Aug 7: The US State Department on Thursday advised all the parties involved in the move to impeach President Pervez Musharraf to ensure that their actions were consistent with the rule of law and the Pakistani constitution.

Spokesman Gonzalo R. Gallegos indicated at a regular briefing that the US was distancing himself from President Musharraf when he declared: “We will continue our close ties with the democratically elected government of Pakistan.”

The US official also said the United States did not believe the move to impeach the president might have a negative impact on the situation along the Pakistan-Afghan border.

However, he did not say that the United States would oppose any move to impose a state of emergency in Pakistan when reminded that under the Constitution the president was entitled to do so and also to dissolve the parliament.

“Any action should be according to the rule of law and consistent with their Constitution. And this is a matter for the Pakistanis to decide,” said Mr Gallegos when told that the Pakistani Constitution allowed the president to impose a state of emergency.

Asked if US interlocutors had urged President Musharraf not to impose a state of emergency, the spokesman said: “I’m very public about the statement that we believe that any actions in Pakistan be consistent with the rule of law and with their constitution.”

The statement indicates that while the United States regards the impeachment move as Pakistan’s internal affair, it would wait for the situation to crystallise before taking a public stance on the issue.

Asked if he saw imposing a state of emergency as a possibility, Mr Gallegos said: “I’ve made the comment that I’m going to make about the actions that are going on.”

The US official said that he did not know if the issue was discussed during Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s visit to Washington last week.

“In terms of meetings with the president (Bush), you have to go to the White House. I don’t have any information that it was discussed with the secretary (Rice).”

Asked how the US would react if the move actually led to President Musharraf’s impeachment, Mr Gallegos, who is leaving for Islamabad this week to join the US Embassy as a senior diplomat, said: “We have consistently said the internal politics of Pakistan is an issue for the Pakistani people to decide. Our expectation is that any action will be consistent with the rule of law and the Pakistani constitution. It is the responsibility of Pakistanis’ leaders to decide on a way forward to succeed as a modern and democratic country.

“But do you realise that by saying that it’s an internal affair of Pakistan, you’re sending a huge message? I mean, basically, you’re saying that they can do whatever they want to do with him,” he was asked.

“Our message to Pakistan has been consistent. We expect that any action will be consistent with their rule of law and the Pakistani constitution,” said the US official.