WASHINGTON, June 27: Pakistan’s decision to empower the army to deal with militants in the tribal areas also creates an opportunity for the United States to defeat terrorism in that region, says US Defence Secretary Robert Gates.

At a Pentagon briefing, Mr Gates interpreted Islamabad’s new strategy for tackling militancy as a declaration of its intention to reassert its control and authority in the Northwest Frontier Province.

“And their designation of General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and empowerment of him

to take responsibility for the tribal region also creates an opportunity for us, and we certainly will be pursuing that,” he added.

Mr Gates is the third senior US official to have welcomed Pakistan’s new strategy for Fata, announced in Islamabad earlier this week.

In a meeting between Pakistan’s security and political leaders in Islamabad on Wednesday, the new Pakistani government agreed to counter extremism by engaging the Fata tribes into a political process, developing the region’s economy and the selective use of military force to combat militants.

Asked if there’s anything the United States could do militarily to defeat terrorism in Fata, Mr Gates underlined Washington’s efforts to enhance Nato military presence on the Afghan side of the border, indicating that the Pentagon had no plan to send troops to Pakistan.

“Well, obviously there is more we can do militarily,” he said. “That’s why we sent the 3,500 Marines down there.”