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No plan to send troops to Pakistan: Obama

* US president says Pak military aid must be used against extremism
* Wants to extend bilateral ties into ‘something richer’
* Confident Pak nukes are safe
* Rules out any mediation between India and Pakistan

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: US President Barack Obama has told a private Pakistani TV channel in an interview that his administration does not intend to send American troops into Pakistan, the Indian media reported on Saturday.

Obama said any American military aid to Pakistan needed to be used against extremism. “We have in the past supported Pakistan militarily. I think it is important to make sure that military support is directed at extremists and our common enemies,” the US president said.

Obama underlined the need to help Pakistan strengthen its resources to facilitate development, and stressed the importance of turning the bilateral ties beyond just military-to-military cooperation into “something richer”.

He said he was confident Pakistan’s nuclear weapons were safe and secure.

“I have confidence that the Pakistani government has safeguarded its nuclear arsenal. It is Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal,” Obama told the channel.

But he said he was concerned about growing extremism in the region. “We want to partner with everybody to make sure that this cancer does not grow.”

The US president said his country would not want to be in a position “where we’re having to send troops to Afghanistan”. “We would love the Afghan government to be secure and stable so that it can ensure that it does not become a safe haven for organisations like Al Qaeda,” he said.

“We would much prefer being a partner with countries like Afghanistan or Pakistan, and simply work together on issues of common interest like commerce and increasing trade and improving development in all countries,” Obama said.

He underlined Washington’s determination to stand up against those who distorted religion and were trying to wreak havoc worldwide. Ruling out American mediation on Kashmir, Obama said dialogue was the best way to reduce tension between India and Pakistan.

“We can’t dictate to Pakistan or India how they should resolve their differences, but we know that both countries would prosper if those differences are resolved,” he said.

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