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| | GEO Pakistan | | British foreign secretary to visit Pakistan | Updated at: 1700 PST, Thursday, November 20, 2008
ISLAMABAD: British foreign secretary David Miliband will visit Pakistan next week for talks with Pakistani leaders on the "common fight against terrorism", the foreign ministry said Thursday.
The trip will be Miliband's second visit to Pakistan since the new government took power after February elections.
"Miliband will hold in-depth discussions with foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and call on President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Sadiq said at a press briefing.
He added that the British foreign secretary would also call on army chief General Ashfaq Kayani during the visit on November 26.
"The two sides will review bilateral relations and exchange views on the regional situation, particularly developments in Afghanistan and the common fight against terrorism and extremism," Sadiq said.
He said Britain had been supporting negotiations as a"final tool" for resolution of conflict in Afghanistan.
Sadiq added that Britain also supported nurturing the process of an assembly of tribal elders for bringing peace in Pakistani tribal areas, known as a jirga.
"We will be briefing him in detail about the developments taken place in this regard since his last visit to Pakistan," he said.
During his previous visit in April, Miliband backed the new Pakistani government's talks with militants but added that there should only be reconciliation with those who renounce violence. |  |
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