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Pakistani President, U.S. army chief discuss security

26 June 2010 18:50 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of United States, met Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and discussed fight against militancy and regional security situation on Saturday, the President office said, APA reports quoting news.xinhuanet.com website.

Both leaders also discussed matters relating to Pak-U.S. bilateral relations, a brief statement from the President office said.

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson were also present during the meeting.

Mike Mullen arrived in Pakistan to meet with Pakistani leaders and U.S. Embassy officials here, the U.S. embassy said.

He will also meet Pakistan army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, a statement from the U.S. embassy said.

Sources said that Mike Mullen’s visit is aimed at taking into confidence the Pakistani political and military leadership about the sacking of top US commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal.

McChrystal was sacked by President Obama for making derogatory remarks about President Barack Obama and his team in a magazine interview.

The U.S. Admiral arrived in Islamabad after he traveled to Afghanistan to assure Afghan leaders that there will be no change in the U.S policy after the removal of General McChrystal.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden had called President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani to take them into confidence about the change of command in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile U.S. Air Force Gen. Norton Schwartz, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, visited the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Headquarters here Friday and met with Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Pakistan Air Force Chief of Air Staff, and other senior PAF officials, another U.S embassy statement said.