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UK FM meets Pakistan top leaders UK backs Pakistan over militants
(about 3 hours later)
UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has held talks in Pakistan with President Pervez Musharraf and new Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani. UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has given his public support to the Pakistani government's efforts to negotiate with Islamist militants.
Mr Miliband was expected to emphasise the need to continue the fight against Islamist extremists. But he insisted that talks should only be held with militants prepared to renounce violence.
But correspondents say he would also express support for Pakistan's newly-elected coalition government's moves towards dialogue with extremists. "Reconciliation does not mean creating safe space for terrorists," he told journalists in Islamabad.
Mr Gillani says his top priority is the fight against terrorism and extremism. He was speaking after meetings with Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani and President Pervez Musharraf.
Mr Miliband has backed Pakistan's readmission to the Commonwealth. 'Humbled'
The foreign secretary has been visiting Pakistan to assess the prospects of a change of strategy to counter terrorism and radicalisation. BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says Mr Miliband very deliberately praised Pakistan's new and still fragile coalition government, which is setting out on a long road to show democratic civilian rule can succeed and survive in Pakistan in the face of extremism and major economic challenges.
On Sunday he said military strategy had to be combined with dialogue in both Pakistan and Afghanistan - reaching out to those willing to work within the constitution. Reconciliation means dividing those ideologically committed to wage a war against this country or other countries, and those able to play by non-violent constitutional rules David Miliband,UK Foreign Secretary class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7357816.stm">Miliband backs Pakistan dialogue class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4650">Send us your comments
We have seen constitutional rules being re-established and so I think that means we should work urgently to bring Pakistan back into the Commonwealth family David MilibandForeign Secretary class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7357816.stm">Miliband backs Pakistan dialogue class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4650">Send us your comments Mr Miliband had dinner with Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari, bitter enemies over many years who have come together in the current coalition.
"It's very important that on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border a message clearly goes out - if you're willing to play by the rules of the constitutional game, there is a place for you, and we want reconciliation to be pursued at a local level," he added. Mr Miliband said he was humbled to sit next to them and hear them talk of their commitment to each other and to democracy.
He also praised the country's recent democratic progress and said it was time for Pakistan to once more become a member of the Commonwealth. But our correspondent says Mr Miliband did not deny the immense challenges facing the new coalition and the people of Pakistan.
"We have seen press freedoms extended again. We have seen democracy have its day despite violence. He said there was clear evidence of a continuing al-Qaeda presence on both sides of Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.
"We have seen constitutional rules being re-established and so I think that means we should work urgently to bring Pakistan back into the Commonwealth family." Britain supports Pakistan's commitment to seek reconciliation with extremists willing to work within the constitution, but Mr Miliband also gave a clear warning to those in Pakistan who argue that the army should not confront the extremists in a war widely blamed on the US.
'Militant talks' "Reconciliation means dividing those ideologically committed to wage a war against this country or other countries and those able to play by non-violent constitutional rules," he said.
Mr Miliband earlier expressed a wish for the new government to build a stable coalition "which will last for the full four or five years with a programme which takes Pakistan forward". "It is about building stability and prosperity."
Commonwealth
Mr Miliband has been emphasising the importance of the fight against extremists for the people of Britain and Pakistan.
Militants must adopt non-violence, Mr Miliband said
He told the BBC that 70% of the terror plots now being investigated in the UK had links that could be traced back to Pakistan.
Mr Miliband also backed Pakistan's readmission to the Commonwealth.
Earlier on his visit to Pakistan, Mr Miliband said he hoped the new government would build a stable coalition "which will last for the full four or five years with a programme that takes Pakistan forward".
Pakistan's new prime minister is a member of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), whose leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in December.Pakistan's new prime minister is a member of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), whose leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in December.
He was sworn in as prime minister in March at the head of a coalition between the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.He was sworn in as prime minister in March at the head of a coalition between the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
Mr Gillani immediately said the government was willing to talk to militants who laid down their arms and he announced measures that could lead to integrating Pakistan's lawless tribal areas into the rest of the country.Mr Gillani immediately said the government was willing to talk to militants who laid down their arms and he announced measures that could lead to integrating Pakistan's lawless tribal areas into the rest of the country.
The prime minister promised to reduce perks for government ministers and also lifted a ban on student and trade unions, abolished more than two decades ago. He promised to reduce perks for government ministers and also lifted a ban on student and trade unions, abolished more than two decades ago.
The parties' success in the 18 February general election was seen as a blow to President Pervez Musharraf. The parties' success in the 18 February general election was seen as a blow to President Musharraf.