LONDON, May 25: The British prime minister on Wednesday asked the West to intensify its efforts to work with Pakistan in fighting terrorism.

At a news conference with US President Barack Obama, David Cameron said the West should redouble its efforts to work with Pakistan in seeking to stamp out terrorism.

“People are asking questions about our relationship, so we need to be clear: Pakistan has suffered more from terrorism than any other country in the world. Their enemy is our enemy,” he said. “Far from walking away, we’ve got to work even more closely with them.”

Afghanistan talks: “We are now preparing to turn a corner in Afghanistan by transitioning to Afghan lead,” Mr Obama said in an address to members of the British parliament.

“During this transition, we will pursue a lasting peace with those who break free from Al Qaeda and respect the Afghan constitution and lay down arms,” he said.

Official sources from three countries have said that Washington has already begun talks with representatives of the Taliban, although these have been described as preliminary.

The German magazine Der Spiegel reported this week that the United States, which had refused to speak to the Taliban after the Sept 11, 2001 attacks, had already held three rounds of talks with their representatives.

Two of these were hosted by Germany and involved representatives of Taliban leader Mullah Omar, it said. Some officials have also said that Osama bin Laden’s death could make it easier for the Taliban to break from Al Qaeda.

It has also led to increased demands in the US for an early end to the Afghan war. However, officials caution against expecting an early breakthrough in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan.—Reuters