Pakistan President meets Afghan counterpart

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-07-2009 14:30

Pakistan's president Asif Ali Zardari has called for foreign allies to provide more support, not more troops, to help win the battle against extremist militants along its border with Afghanistan. He made the remark on Tuesday while meeting his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari (L) and his  Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai attend a news  conference in Kabul January 6, 2009.  REUTERS/Ahmad Masood (AFGHANISTAN)

This is Zardari's first official visit to Afghanistan since taking office in September. He said his country's forces, together with Afghan troops, could fight the militants if given the right international support.

The comments come ahead of an expected arrival of 20-thousand American troops in Afghanistan to help combat a Taliban insurgency.

The new arrivals will head to the south where they will boost a NATO force of almost 13,000. Neither the Pakistani nor Afghan government has strong control over the border area, but both presidents say they have made progress in working together. The two presidents also discussed bilateral trade.

Editor:Zhang Yun