Taliban pose a danger to US, Pak, India: Zardari

Washington, Feb 20 (PTI) Pakistan President Asif Ali
Zardari has acknowledged that Taliban, with whom his
government reached a truce deal in the restive Swat valley
days ago, are "murderous thugs and militants" who "pose a
danger to Pakistan, the US and India".

US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan,
Richard Holbrooke, who is just back from Pakistan, told CNN
here: "He (Zardari) doesn't disagree that the people who are
running Swat now are murderous thugs and militants and they
pose a danger not only to Pakistan, but to the United States
and India".

When specifically asked if Zardari gave him any
commitment, Holbrooke, who conveyed Washington's concern to
Zardari on telephone, said: "That I don't know. But the issue
isn't whether he signs the deal or not, the issue is the
negotiations themselves."

The United States has conveyed strong concern to Zardari
over the truce deal with a Taliban-linked group for enforcing
Shariah law in the restive Swat Valley.

President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton are worried that this deal should not turn into a
surrender to the Taliban militants, Holbrooke told Zardari in
a telephonic conversation.

Holbrooke said the US is worried over the peace deal as
it gives the Taliban the authority in a critically important
part of the country.

"It's hard to understand this deal in Swat, less than 100
miles from the capital in Islamabad. President Zardari says
it's an interim arrangement while they stabilize the
situation," he said.

Over the US' concern that the deal might turn into a
surrender, "President Zardari has assured us that's not the
case. He is sending a very high level delegation, including
the Foreign Minister. Several senior military officials,
General Kayani will be in town, the head of ISI will be in
town next week, the Afghans are sending their group," he said.

"I can assure you, and President Zardari knows this, that
this will be the top initial subject of conversation," he
said.

Holbrooke said the increase in US troops in Afghanistan
would turn the tide as the US revamps strategy to upgrade the
civilian and economic and reconstruction components in the
country.

"Above all we've got to deal with Pakistan. We have to
stem the deterioration in the tribal areas," Holbrooke said.

Delegations from Afghanistan and Pakistan will arrive in
the US next week to participate in the strategic review on
Afghan policy. PTI LKJ
RKM
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