WASHINGTON, July 28: President George W. Bush assured Pakistan on Monday that the United States supported Pakistan’s sovereignty, hours after a US air strike had killed six people in Fata.

“Pakistan is a strong ally and a vibrant democracy,” said Mr Bush after a meeting with Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani at the White House. “And the United States supports the democracy and supports the sovereignty of Pakistan.”

Before ending his brief address, Mr Bush once again assured Pakistan that the US respected its sovereignty. “I repeat, (the US) respects the sovereignty of this democracy,” he said.

At least six people were killed and three others injured when a US missile fired from Afghanistan hit a house in a Pakistani tribal area on Monday. A senior Al Qaeda leader was also killed in the attack.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Information Minister Sherry Rehman said that while Pakistan had conveyed its concerns to the United States on these strikes, the issue had not been discussed in the summit.

She referred to the US assertion that all such strikes were carried on ‘actionable intelligence’, but said Pakistan had informed the Americans that such actions were not helpful.

“I am not indicating that this issue was discussed in the (Bush-Gilani) meeting but we have conveyed our concerns to the Americans.”

Asked why did President Bush express his support for Pakistan’s sovereignty on a day his forces carried out the air strike, Ms Rehman saw no connection but insisted that such assurances were helpful.

“It is important because Pakistan is a frontline state, a pivotal state right now. It has borders with Afghanistan and has a strategic position. It is a good thing that Pakistan’s sovereignty and independence are clearly manifested by President Bush and the prime minister, clearly outlining the US commitment to respecting Pakistan’s sovereignty,” she added.

Earlier at the White House, Mr Bush stressed the need for Pakistan and the United States to jointly fight the war on terror.

Responding to the remarks, Mr Gilani assured the US president that Pakistan took this fight as its own and would use all its resources to defeat the terrorists.

“And we also appreciate the prime minister’s strong words against the extremists and terrorists who not only would do us harm, but have harmed people inside Pakistan,” said Mr Bush.

Describing his talks with the prime minister, Mr Bush said: “We’ve had a good meeting in the Oval Office,” he said. “And then I’m going to have lunch with the prime minister here in the main White House. And that’s fitting. After all, Pakistan is a strong ally and a vibrant democracy.”

Mr Bush said he had discussed “areas of concern” with the Pakistani leader and was “going to spend a lot of time” during the lunch on Pakistan’s economy.

He said the United States and Pakistan would continue to cooperate for economic benefits for all the people, “of Pakistan and for our own country, for that matter”.

Mr Bush, however, indicated that the talks focused on the common threat both countries faced from extremists who “are very dangerous people”.

The situation on the Afghan border, he said, was also discussed and Mr Gilani and he agreed on the need to make sure that the border was “secured as best as possible”. Pakistan, he said, had made a “very strong commitment” to ensuring security of this border.

“I told the prime minister that the United States is committed to helping the Afghan democracy succeed, which is in Pakistan’s interest. After all, the prime minister wants there to be a peaceful country on his border.”

Prime Minister Gilani said he appreciated what the US president said about supporting democracy and sovereignty. The US president, he said, also had assured him that the United States would help Pakistan look after its interests in a lot of other areas.

“Pakistan and the United States have very cordial relations, and bilateral relations, and this is not of today. This is for over 60 years, since the creation of Pakistan,” he said.

“We were inspired with their slogan of liberty and self-determination, and now we want to further improve our relations.”

The prime minister said that Pakistan was committed to fighting extremists and terrorists who were making the world unsafe.

“This is our own war. This is a war which is against Pakistan and we’ll fight for our own cause,” he said. “And that is because I have lost my own leader, Benazir Bhutto, because of the militants.”

The prime minister rejected a perception that militants had popular support in Pakistan. “I assure the United States and the people of the United States that the majority of the people of Pakistan and the people of those areas in the NWFP and Fata -- they are patriots, loyalists. They want peace in the world. And they want to cooperate.”

The militants, he said, were a small minority and were opposed by the local people.

There were a few militants, there were a handful people, militants who were disturbing peace, he said. “And I assure Mr Bush we’ll work together for democracy and for prosperity and peace of the world.”

After the meeting, the two leaders walked out of the Oval Office onto the Rose Garden of the White House, enjoying their brief walk on a bright, sunny day.

Media personnel were asked to line up in the lawn, facing the garden. After the remarks, the two leaders walked back into the Oval Office, ignoring the questions hurled at them.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Information Minister Sherry Rehman, prime minister’s adviser on interior Rehman Malik, Ambassador at-Large Akbar Khawja, Economic Adviser Hina Rabbani Khar and Ambassador Husain Haqqani accompanied the prime minister in the talks and later at the working lunch.

US Vice-President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other senior officials assisted Mr Bush.