ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: President Pervez Musharraf on Monday asked the United States to help resolve conflicts in South Asia and the Middle East for a durable peace, an official statement said.

Gen Musharraf made these remarks during a meeting with a bipartisan US Senate delegation which included Republicans John McCain, Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham and Democrats Russell Fein gold and Hillary Clinton, wife of former president Bill Clinton.

"The president has urged the United States to move from the stage of conflict management and assist in conflict resolution to bring durable peace to South Asia and the Middle East," a Pakistan foreign ministry statement said.

Gen Musharraf, during the hour-long meeting, exchanged views with US senators on developments in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Pakistan-India peace process, it said.

The Senate delegation welcomed the progress in Pakistan's relations with India and commended Mr Musharraf's "courageous leadership" in fighting terrorism and extremism, it said.

The president said that efforts of Pakistan security agencies had yielded good results and greatly diminished the operational capability of the global terrorist network. The senators also thanked the President for Pakistan's contribution and support to peace and stability in Afghanistan.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Additional Secretary (Americas) participated in the meeting. The US delegation was assisted by US Ambassador to Pakistan. The five-member Senate team arrived in Pakistan on Monday from Iraq and will also visit Afghanistan.

VISIT OT KYRGYZSTAN: President Pervez Musharraf will visit Kyrgyzstan next month on a visit that may also take in Uzbekistan, officials said on Monday.

Musharraf is due in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan for talks with Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev on March 8, Pakistan's embassy in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek told AFP. Discussions are still under way on Musharraf possibly visiting Uzbekistan, an Uzbek foreign ministry official said. -AFP/APP