Give up India obsession, focus on Taliban: US to tell Pak

Washington: President Barack Obama is expected to press Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari again to give up its obsession with India as its main threat and instead focus on the armed threat from militant extremists.

"I think he will reiterate what he said to you guys last week," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Monday when asked if Obama would tell Zardari when he meets him Wednesday that "there's no threat from India".

"I think the President spoke pretty clearly to this last week in underscoring where the threat lies in Pakistan and where it doesn't," he said referring to Obama's remarks at a press conference last week on his 100th day in office.

Obama suggested last week that one could "see some recognition just in the last few days" on the part of the Pakistani military "that the obsession with India as the mortal threat to Pakistan has been misguided, and that their biggest threat right now comes internally."

Asked if India is going to be consulted on this and if Washington could still play a mediator between New Delhi and Islamabad on Pakistan's threat perceptions, Gibbs said: "Well, I think obviously some of those conversations are being had."

"The President is concerned about the situation (in Pakistan). You've seen administration officials talk about their concern," he said referring to remarks made among others by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen about the "crisis" in Pakistan in the face of advancing Taliban militants.

Obama, Gibbs said, would surely talk to Zardari about the security of nuclear weapons in Pakistan, but wouldn't say whether he would also bring up the question of how Pakistan spent $100 million allocated to it to better secure its nuclear facilities.

Obama will press Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to continue a military drive against Taliban insurgents to prevent a situation that might threaten its stability and nuclear arsenal, US officials say.

Obama is scheduled to meet Zardari and Afghan President Hamed Karzai separately at the White House on Wednesday and then hold a three-way summit on regional security.

In comments on the eve of Zardari's arrival in Washington for the crucial meetings, State Department spokesman Robert Wood Monday said he believed Pakistani "Government and military have received the message" about the threat from militants.

"However, that message continues to need to be reinforced because... these violent extremists pose a very serious threat to not only Pakistan, but countries of the region," he said indicating that Zardari will hear that message repeated in Washington.

"What's important here is that these violent extremists be confronted," said Wood. "The Pakistani government and military realise the threat, and are taking steps to try to address that threat.

"And we have to continue, as others have been doing as well, to encourage them to continue to step up that fight. Because this is an existential threat that the government of Pakistan faces."

The New York Times reported on Monday that US officials are increasingly concerned about the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal because of the spreading insurgency, including the possibility that militants might seize a weapon in transit or infiltrate nuclear facilities.

But on that issue, Wood echoed comments by Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that he is "comfortable" that nuclear weapons in Pakistan are secure.

"We're confident that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal will remain out of militant hands," he said.

"Command and control of that nuclear arsenal is a high priority for the government of Pakistan. And Pakistan has been engaged with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) in a very intense discussion. It's got export control legislation that it has put forward. So we do not have that concern."

Wood said the physical security around Pakistani nuclear weapons is very solid. He said he was unaware of any discussion within the US government about possible American intervention in Pakistan in case insurgents threatened nuclear sites.