United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday showed a strong appreciation of Islamabad's initiative to give 'peace a chance' but demanded of Pakistan to take concrete steps "in days and weeks" to squeeze the Haqqani network and to "deny" Afghan insurgents safe havens so as to encourage Taliban to enter negotiations in good faith.

She was speaking at a joint news conference along with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar after talks here at the Foreign Office. Clinton categorically stated that her country respects Pakistan's sovereignty and understands its security concerns. She said that terrorism emanating from any source including Haqqani Network is a threat to all of us and asked Pakistan for greater cooperation to squeeze them.

She said that coalition and Afghan forces are increasing pressure on the Taliban in Afghanistan, adding that they look to Pakistan to take strong steps to deny Afghan insurgents safe havens and to encourage the Taliban to enter negotiations in good faith.

Clinton, however, added that urgency of the situation requires that the operationalization takes place within "days or weeks and not months or years". Responding to a query about peace talks with those renouncing violence, she said we should get into the peace process but if that fails then steps need to be taken to prevent them from killing innocent people.

"For too long, extremists have been able to operate in Pakistan and from Pakistani soil," she said, adding that action should be taken against them to limit the loss of Pakistani, Americans and Afghan lives. "You can't keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbours...Eventually those snakes are going to turn on whoever has them in the backyard," she maintained.

Asked what the US was doing to squeeze the Haqqanis and other terrorists attacking Pakistan from Afghanistan, she said the coalition forces recently led a successful operation against the Haqqani network inside Afghanistan that resulted in the death and arrest of dozens of Haqqani operatives.

Clinton also welcomed the message delivered by All-Party Conference (APC) for "giving peace a chance", adding that she saw the APC resolution as a very significant. She termed it a very important public commitment that wants to 'give peace a chance'. But, she added, "If we want to give peace a chance, we have some work to do," urging Pakistan to do more to crack down on extremists operating from its territory.

She also urged Pakistani leaders to reduce corruption and implement development reforms in the country and stressed the Pakistani people to demand these rights.

She further said that the US recognizes and respects the sacrifices made by Pakistani people during war on terror. She clarified that the US is not asking Pakistan to sacrifice its own security but, she added, Pakistan has a critical role to play in supporting Afghan reconciliation and ending the conflict. She said that the US strongly believes in Pakistan's sovereignty and security and will continue to work with it on eliminating terrorism by targeting safe havens along the Pak-Afghan border.

She further stated that Pakistani Taliban are a 'terrible threat' to Pakistan and added that the issue needs not just a military solution but requires a political agenda, including economic assistance.

To a question, Clinton seconded Army Chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani statement, saying "I agree with General Kayani's statement that Pakistan is not Afghanistan, not Iraq but it (Pakistan) is a sovereign nation." She added that the US will continue to work with Pakistan for peace and stability in the region. She said that her country wants the relationship with Pakistan based on mutual respect and mutual responsibility.

Clinton also acknowledged that there are issues on which Pakistan and the US do not always see eye to eye and these differences cannot be resolved in a single visit. She made it clear that stability of Pakistan and the region directly impacts the security of the US, adding, "it is in our interest to help Afghan people build a stable, sovereign and independent nation that is not a source of trouble for its neighbours".Referring to the trilateral meetings among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US, she said that it is a good start and stressed the need for keeping the momentum going.

She said that the US was also committed to economic development of Pakistan and in this connection supported the idea of a new Silk route that would increase regional economic integration and boost cross-border trade and investment between Pakistan and all its neighbours. She further said the initiative would translate into more jobs and economic opportunities for Pakistani people and their neighbours.

She also said that her country welcomes the progress that Pakistan and India are making towards normalcy and trade relations as well as implementation of transit trade agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan. She said the US will continue to support Pakistan's elected government and its people in addressing economic challenges

Earlier, referring to killing of Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi, Clinton said his death closed a very unfortunate chapter and added that the US is committed to Libyan people's efforts of ensuring democracy in their country.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar termed the Friday's talks with the US side on trade, counter-terrorism and cooperation in peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan 'useful and substantive'. She categorically stated that all relationships between Pakistan and foreign countries are guided by country's national interest and the relationship between Pakistan and the US is no exception.

"Pakistan is committed to fighting terrorism and we are doing it in our own interest," she said, adding that it is in Pakistan's national interest to have a strong and prosperous Afghanistan.

The Foreign Minister further pointed out that like any other sovereign nation Pakistan's strategies are being devised by its state institutions with Parliament having greater supremacy.

She made it clear that Parliament has the authority to decide for the country's chief executive to take any military action, adding that the government of Pakistan will be guided by its national interests and the recent resolution signed by political parties across the country during APC, which she termed a united voice for Pakistan's security.

"In the evolution of the future strategy, Pakistan will be guided by the principles of resolution of the APC, which called upon the government to give peace a chance," she maintained.

She also said there is no country in the world that is more affected by events in Afghanistan than Pakistan. "Pakistan has suffered most in the war against terrorism. That's why it is urging the international community to give more trade access," she said, expressing the hope that the US will give preferential market access to Pakistan. Khar said Pakistan is keen to cooperate with the US and other countries on countering terrorism. "Yes, we can cooperate more and achieve better results. We are keen to cooperate with the United States closely and to evolve a common strategy," she said in her reply to a question.

To another query, she said that militants have safe havens on both sides of the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. "Yes, they (safe havens) do exist on both sides," she said, adding "we can cooperate more and achieve better results".

To yet another query, Khar said that Pakistan has taken the threat of terrorism very seriously and there is no question of any Pakistani institution providing safe havens to militant networks. She said we are keen to continue to cooperate with the US to fight terrorism. In this regard, we are ready to further enhance intelligence sharing. She said Islamabad is committed to Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation peace process and in this connection the country has tried to operationalise the process through the core group of Pakistan, the US and Afghanistan.

AFP adds: In a roundtable on Friday with Pakistani television journalists watched by the US travelling media, Clinton admitted the United States had held one exploratory meeting with the Haqqani network.

An official said this took place before a series of massive attacks.

"In fact, the Pakistani government officials helped to facilitate such a meeting," Clinton said.

SOURCE: BUSINESS RECORDER