US military talks in Pakistan called 'productive'
( 2001-09-27 11:35 ) (7 )

A US military delegation has left Pakistan after "productive" talks with their Pakistani counterparts on cooperation in the US campaign against Osama bin Laden and his network in Afghanistan, a Pentagon official said.

"The talks have been productive," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf promised "unstinted cooperation" with Washington in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

The Pentagon official would not say what cooperation was discussed in the talks in Islamabad.

However, the Pakistanis are regarded as the best source of intelligence in the region on Afghanistan and its Taliban rulers, who have been protecting Osama bin Laden and have close ties to Pakistani intelligence.

Timely, accurate intelligence would be key to any US commando raids against bin Laden and his cells in Afghanistan, analysts say.

Access to Pakistani bases would allow US forces to stage closer to Afghanistan, but such an arrangement would carry heavy political risks for Islamabad.