ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: The commander of US forces in region, Gen Tommy R. Franks, arrived here on Monday on a brief visit and discussed the Afghan situation with President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

US Ambassador in Islamabad Wendy Chamberlin accompanied Gen Franks during the talks, Foreign Office spokesman Riaz Muhammad Khan said.

The chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Gen Muhammad Aziz Khan, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir, Vice Chief of Army Staff, Gen Muhammad Yusaf and some other military officials took part in the talks.

“The prevailing situation in the region with particular reference to Afghanistan came under discussion during the meeting,” the spokesman said.

A question whether the US had made some fresh request about the military support was parried by the spokesman, saying the talks had just finished and he cannot give any details.

When his comments were sought on reports that the US was considering using “tactical” nuclear weapons in Afghanistan, he retorted that they had firmly rejected even the thought of using nuclear weapons — tactical or otherwise.

He recalled that a similar question was put to US Secretary of State Colin Powell who had wondered from where the media people did get such wild reports.

Commenting on German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s statement in New Delhi that Pakistan and India should revert to the Agra process, he said Pakistan had no hesitation in resuming dialogue with India.

As regards President Musharraf’s visit to New York, he said the decision had been taken but dates were yet to be finalized. Without ruling out the possibility of a meeting between President Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, he said it was not on the cards.

On reports of Pakistani volunteers gathering at borders to join the Taliban forces, the spokesman said: “We do not want any Pakistani going into Afghanistan.”

He said the government had repeatedly raised the issue with the Taliban and asked them not to allow any Pakistani in their training bases or fighting along with their militia.

He recalled that after the adoption of the UN resolution 1267, which imposed an arms embargo on the Taliban, they had been strictly observing it.