Embassy Row

Pakistan angered

Pakistan yesterday criticized the U.S. ambassador to neighboring Afghanistan, who warned Pakistan to eliminate terrorist safe havens or American troops would have to do it.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry denounced the “unwarranted and uncalled for” remarks by Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, who told an audience in Washington on Monday that Pakistan must destroy al Qaeda and Taliban training camps in the remote border area between the two countries. He repeated his warning yesterday at the National Press Club.

“Pakistan is quite capable of taking firm action against all undesirable elements and does not require outside assistance,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement released in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

The ministry suggested that Mr. Khalilzad was not reflecting President Bush’s position on Pakistan.

“The U.S. administration at the highest level has greatly appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in eliminating and rooting out the terrorist infrastructure and the al Qaeda elements from its soil,” the ministry said.

Government spokesman Sheik Rashid Ahmed told Agence France-Presse, “We can do our job. We know our job, and the Americans don’t know the ground.”

Mr. Khalilzad, speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on a home visit, accused Pakistan of failing to crush the terrorists who are conducting raids into Afghanistan, which the United States liberated from the repressive Taliban control in 2001.

“We have told the Pakistani leadership that either they must solve this problem or we will have to do it ourselves,” he said. “We prefer that Pakistan takes responsibility, and the Pakistani government agrees.”

However, he added, the terrorists still are able “to base, train and operate” from Pakistan.

“We cannot allow this problem to fester indefinitely,” he warned, adding that “one way or the other, this problem will have to be dealt with.”

Pakistani forces have mounted a major operation against al Qaeda positions in the border area but failed to capture a top terrorist leader they suspected was hiding there. He apparently escaped into Afghanistan.

Mr. Ahmed said his government has apprehended more than 500 al Qaeda and Taliban suspects since the U.S.-led coalition overthrew the Afghan regime.

“We are the country which has delivered the best results in this war, and we believe that the Americans will not create any trouble for us and by themselves,” he said.

In his speech, Mr. Khalilzad praised the progress by Afghans, citing the country’s constitution as a top example. He also said that the United States has helped build roads and repair other vital infrastructure that had crumbled under the previous regimes.

The ambassador said yesterday that the United States is engaged in a manhunt for Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders, as well as the remnants of the Taliban.

He praised Pakistan’s recent military operation and expressed appreciation for the country’s “sacrifice,” referring to the loss of 46 troops in the engagement.

“This is a good start,” he said, according to Shaun Waterman of United Press International. “More needs to be done.”

Exercise in Bulgaria

Bulgaria, a new member of NATO, will play host to a joint military exercise this summer with the U.S. Army, the American Embassy in Sofia announced yesterday.

About 1,000 American troops based in Germany will participate in the maneuvers, code-named Bulwark ’04. The exercises will run for three weeks from July to August in eastern Bulgaria and will focus on NATO combat techniques.

• Call Embassy Row at 202/636-3297, fax 202/832-7278 or e-mail jmorrison@washingtontimes.com.