Pakistan and Afghanistan must intensify co-operation along their border to prevent al Qaeda and Taleban members from finding refuge, White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said on Thursday.
He returned here on Wednesday from his first solo overseas trip as President George W Bush's national security adviser in which he visited Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan to discuss fighting terrorism, denying safe haven to militants, and the US goal of spreading democracy in that region.
"In the meetings in Pakistan, I started by expressing appreciation, particularly to President (Pervez) Musharraf, for the things he did do to fight the war on terror, to go after al Qaeda. They are also increasing their focus on the Taleban," Hadley told a small group of reporters.
The Taleban, ousted as rulers of Afghanistan by US forces following the September 11 attacks, have been regrouping and attacking.
"There is obviously some tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan about activities on the border, and my message there was that it was a common problem and it would only be solved through common action," Hadley said.
"The only way to discipline a border is working both sides of a border and that requires co-operation at all levels, and I encouraged folks to enhance and intensify that co-operation," he said.
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