ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: Pakistan's 'concerns and apprehensions' about the continuity of Washington's relations with Islamabad have been allayed after the re-election of President George W. Bush in the Nov 2 polls. Foreign office spokesman Masood Khan said at his weekly press briefing on Monday that Islamabad was hopeful that US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's talks with the Pakistani leaders and officials, beginning here on Tuesday, would provide a basis for a longer-lasting, stable and durable relationship.

The talks would also lead to laying the foundation of a greater understanding of Pakistan's defence and security needs and wider bilateral economic and commercial ties, contrasting the US-Pakistan's relations of 90s when the country was under American sanctions, he added.

Mr Armitage is expected to call on President Gen Pervez Musharraf and hold talks with Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar. During these talks, the spokesman said, Pakistan would like to discuss the consolidation of a long-term bilateral strategic relationship beyond the present cooperation in the anti-terror war.

He said Pakistan expected to get from Mr Armitage's discussion a fuller picture of Washington's views on the post-election in developments foreign relations of the United States, its involvement in the Middle East and the Iraq war.

Also, he said, Pakistan would like to discuss with the deputy secretary the situation in Afghanistan and its reconstruction programme, India-Pakistan peace process which had been encouraged by the US and other members of the world community, the Iraq crisis, and the situation obtaining in the Middle East in the wake of Chairman Yasser Arafat's serious illness.

Answering a question, the spokesman indicated there might be some variations between views of Pakistan and those of the US administration on the country's concerns and needs for its defence which needed to be addressed in talks.

He said the US had been discussing all these issues at a defence consultative forum and in meetings between officials of the two defence ministries to evaluate their perspectives of defence and security issues. These officials might be meeting again some time this year, he added.

In reply to a question about the involvement of leaders of political groups in occupied Kashmir in the peace process, Mr Masood Khan said Islamabad had clearly stated that the Kashmiri leaders of different shades would be consulted on the Kashmir issue. He said the issue was among the main agenda items for the composite dialogue under way between Islamabad and New Delhi.

He referred to a recent statement attributed to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq about Kashmiris' talks with Pakistani and Indian governments and said that one should learn to respect the autonomy and independence of the Kashmiri leaders as far as their contribution to negotiations was concerned.

When they expressed their views it should not be regarded always as the product of some pressure. Mirwaiz Farooq had pleaded for talks with Pakistani and Indian governments on Kashmir when the issue was under discussion between them.

Mr Khan said it was vital that the IHK leaders' views were heard and taken into consideration if the bilateral talks were to be meaningful.

Asked to comment on the reported refusal of the US administration to accept Pakistan's request for the supply of F-16 aircraft, the spokesman said he would not like to be specific, apart from stating that the matter had been under discussion with the US officials who were aware of Pakistan's needs and its security concerns. The issue would be coming up for consideration in due course between the two sides, he added.