President Zardari demands halt to US drone attacks on Pakistan territory
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Nov 3, IRNA
Pakistan-Zardari-US
President Asif Ali Zardari, terming drone attacks on Pakistani territory as counter-productive, said Monday that these raids should be stopped and focus should be more on enhanced coordination and intelligence-sharing.
General Petraeus, accompanied by the U.S Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher, arrived last night for talks on his first visit two days after he assumed new assignment.
The visit comes at a time when the U.S drones have stepped up missile strikes in the tribal regions to target Taliban-linked militants but locals say that majority of the victims are civilians.
"Continuing drone attacks on our territory, which result in loss of precious lives and property, are counterproductive and difficult to explain by a democratically elected government. It is creating a credibility gap", President Zardari told General Petraeus.
The President was talking to Commander of US Central Command Gen.
David Petraeus and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, who called on him here at the Presidency.
Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani, Secretary Foreign Affairs Salman Bashir, US Ambassador Ms. Anne W Patterson and senior civil and military officials from the two sides were also present in the meeting.
The President said that U.S. leadership has affirmed respect for Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding however that in the wake of drone attacks on our side of the border the government was under pressure to react more aggressively.
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