Pelosi, Musharraf to meet in Pakistan

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) arrived in Pakistan Saturday for talks with the country's president expected to touch on cooperation against Taliban and al-Qaida militants and U.S. aid to the South Asian country, officials said.

Neither the U.S. delegation nor President Gen. Pervez Musharraf was scheduled to make any public comment after the meeting, which coincides with concern in Pakistan about a U.S. bill that would link American aid for Pakistan's military with its commitment to combating resurgent Taliban militants.

The bill, introduced this month after Democrats took control of Congress, would require President Bush to certify that Islamabad is doing its utmost to counter Taliban operations in Pakistan and secure its border with Afghanistan.

Failure to do that would cut off some financial aid to Pakistan's military, though the president could waive the provision in the interests of national security.

The Senate has yet to consider it, and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State John Gastright said Friday in Islamabad that the Bush administration wanted the provision removed.

Gastright said Pelosi's decision to visit Pakistan with her first congressional delegation showed that she shared the administration's interest in close ties with Pakistan and its military president.

"We'll want to work with her (Pelosi) so that she realizes that that provision is not necessary," Gastright said.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070127/ap_on_go_co/pakistan_us [link]