Nato chief in Islamabad

Published January 22, 2009

ISLAMABAD, Jan 21: Nato Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day visit during which he is expected to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and the country’s military leadership to seek increased cooperation in anti-terror war and better security for the alliance’s supply routes.

About 75 per cent of Nato supplies to Afghanistan are transported through Pakistan, but convoys have recently come under militant attacks.

The Nato secretary-general advocates a regional approach to the Afghanistan problem and is likely to urge Pakistan to intensify efforts to curb cross-border movement of militants.

Centcom Chief Gen David Petraeus announced on Monday that the US had secured new Central Asian transit routes.

However, Nato still wants to keep the Khyber Pass route open as its principal supply line.

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