ISLAMABAD, Jan 13 (Agencies): Voicing concern over continuing movement of Taliban and Al Qaeda insurgents across the Pakistan-Afghan border, the US has said a negotiated settlement with extremists in North Waziristan could not halt the insurgency in the region.
After holding talks with President Pervez Musharraf here yesterday, US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher told media persons a negotiated settlement between Pakistan and extremists in North Waziristan had not halted the movement of Al Qaeda and the Taliban from Pakistani tribal areas into Afghanistan.
"Therefore, this cross-border activity needs to be restricted," he said.
His comments came close on the heels of US National Intelligence Director Negroponte remarks that Pakistan has become "a safe haven for Al Qaeda".
Boucher disagreed that there were moderate Taliban in Afghanistan and the US government should talk to them to improve security situation in that country.
Boucher said there was a serious threat from the Taliban and narcotics traffickers.
"We are concerned over these issues," he said.
Drug trafficking was posing a lot of problems and the money earned through it was being used by the Taliban and other anti-social elements against the NATO forces as well as the Pakistan and Afghan governments, he said.
On fencing and mining of the areas along the Pak-Afghan border, Boucher said "The matter is still under discussion and consideration.
The objective is to ensure that the border areas are more stable and extremists are stopped from crossing the border." On the issue of democracy and President Musharraf's holding dual positions of chief of the armed forces and the head of the state, Boucher said the US was interested in free and fair elections in Pakistan.
"I cannot take any position on Pakistani politics," he said, adding these were issues relating to Pakistan which could only be resolved by Pakistanis.
The US wanted Pakistan to provide modern education to its people and President Musharraf had taken right steps in this regard, he said.
"Pakistan is our key partner and we are engaged in a range of areas for making Pakistan a stable, moderate and developed nation," Boucher said.
US-backed resolution against Mynamar's junta vetoed by Russia, China UNITED NATIONS, Jan 13 (Agencies): A rare double veto by Russia and China killed a US-sponsored resolution asking Myanmar's military junta to stop persecution of minorities and opposition groups, end human rights abuse and release all political prisoners.
Nine members supported the resolution, co-sponsored by Britain, three including South Africa, opposed and Indonesia, Qatar and Congo abstained.
During the debate, most members agreed that there were human rights violations in Myanmar and it needed to work with the international community to restore democracy but those who opposed and abstained argued that there was no threat to peace and security in the region and hence it was outside the purview of the 15-membr Security Council.
The issue, they argued, belonged to Human Rights Council and the General Assembly and should be discussed there.
They also said they were in contact with the Myanmar government and time is needed to set the thing right.
Expressing disappointment at the Council's decision, United States acting Ambassador Alejandro Wolff said the resolution would have sent "strong and urgently needed" statement to Myanmar about the need for change.
The junta, he said, was waging a war against minorities and looking the other way while the refugee flow was increasing and narcotics and human trafficking was growing.
This was the first time since 1972 that Moscow and Beijing together vetoed a measure.
Last time, they had vetoed the resolution calling for observance of ceasefire in the Middle East.