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Bush’s trip to Pakistan today not without risks: White House

NEW DELHI: President Bush’s visit to Pakistan is not without security risks but he will not be deterred by attacks such as the suicide bombing in Karachi, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said on Thursday, AP reported.

Bush will fly to Pakistan late on Friday for a day of talks Saturday in Islamabad with President Musharraf. But the White House waited until the beginning of Bush’s trip to disclose that he would spend the night in Islamabad.

Hadley said security risks and precautions had been assessed prior to Bush’s decision to go to Pakistan. “It is something that they reassess up to the point where we head to Pakistan,” he said. “And at this point people are comfortable that the necessary precautions are in place. But this is not a risk-free undertaking.” Hadley said there was evidence the diplomat had been targeted in the Karachi bombing.

Umer Farooq adds from Islamabad: Officials here hope Bush’s visit will broaden cooperation between Pakistan and the US in trade, defence and security.

The two countries are likely to sign a bilateral investment treaty on Saturday despite reservations expressed by some quarters at clauses of the treaty relating to intellectual property rights.

Bush will hold delegation-level talks as well as a one-on-one meeting with President Musharraf. He will be accompanied by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and new Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher. Bush will attend a conference on earthquake relief and reconstruction. He will also be briefed on the status of Pakistan-India talks.

Foreign Ministry officials said the talks between the two presidents will mainly focus on regional security. Musharraf will also brief Bush about the measures Pakistan has taken to secure its border with Afghanistan and allay the apprehensions of Kabul about cross-border terrorism.

Pakistan will seek US cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear technology. Gen Musharraf is also expected to tell Bush that Pakistan will purchase F-16s from the US, a deal postponed last December following the earthquake.

The two sides are also expected to discuss ways to increase defence cooperation to bolster the capabilities of the Pakistani armed forces . The officials said though Pakistan and the US had been communicating with each other on the Iranian nuclear programme, this is the first time the two countries would discuss the issue at the highest level.

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