Clinton urges negotiations with Taliban, Haqqanis for peace

  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday stated that military offensive is not the only solution to eradicate terrorism while adding that the negotiations with Pakistan and Afghan Taliban are also important to move forward for a smooth peace process. Briefing a joint News Conference with Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Kharin Islamabad she said that joint efforts made by U.S. and Pakistan are the best solution to eradicate Haqqani Network and its terrorist activities. Clinton said that Haqqani Network is a threat for both Pakistan and U.S. so a joint operation from both sides of the border is required to save thousands of people from terrorism. She asserted that Pakistan should target safe havens of Haqqani network north- western Pakistan's tribal region to bring peace in the region. Secretary Clinton began two-day Pakistan's visit on Thursday evening after holding talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul. Ahead of her Islamabad visit, she said that she would press Pakistan to take action against the armed militants who enter Afghanistan for attacks on U.S.-led foreign and Afghan forces. Clinton said at press conference on Friday that Haqqani Network and other terrorist organizations would be crushed and the desired results would be gained in certain days. She said that Taliban are being treated with a heavy hand by NATO forces in Afghanistan and they are being pressurized to stop intruding into Pakistani territory. Commenting on an earlier statement by Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Hillary said that Pakistan is a sovereign country and U.S. respects its integrity. Pakistan's foreign minister Khar said Pakistan has also been facing terrorist threats and attacks, adding that the meeting with Clinton remained positive. Clinton also met with Pakistani Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani on Thursday night and agreed to reduce tension caused due to threats by several top U.S. military leaders of unilateral action in Pakistan, officials said. During her visit, she is scheduled to meet with Pakistani civil and military leadership, including President Asif Ali Zardari and army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. Clinton's is visiting Pakistan at the time when Pakistan-U.S. relationship has reached a difficult point after the last month attack on the U.S. embassy in Kabul and the truck bomb blast at a major American military base in Afghanistan's Maidan Wardak province, blamed on the Taliban-linked Haqqani network. Senior U.S. military leaders accused Pakistan's intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of supporting the Haqqani network in both attacks, the charges denied by Pakistan as irresponsible. The U.S. insists that Haqqani network operates from North Waziristan, a Pakistan's northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan. Pakistan has so far rejected the U.S. pressure for North Waziristan offensive and the Army Chief General Kayani told parliamentarians at a rare briefing on Tuesday that it is up-to Pakistan if and when to launch military operation.