Blair shores up Pakistan support
BBC News

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf have held detailed discussions over the war on terrorism.

During the talks in Islamabad, Pakistan reiterated its support for the international coalition's efforts to track down Osama Bin Laden.

And both countries agreed that any post-Taleban government in Afghanistan must be broad-based and include all key ethnic groups.

The visit comes after Mr Blair met Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the international crisis sparked by last month's terror attacks on America.

At a press conference after the meeting with Pakistan's president, Mr Blair said the pair had discussed a successor to the Taleban if the regime failed to hand over Osama Bin Laden, and then fell.

He said the attacks on 11 September were "not an attack on the West - they were an attack on humanity".

He also outlined a series of bilateral measures including closer defence links and UK support for International Monetary Fund programmes.

En route to the Pakistan capital Islamabad, the prime minister spoke of his growing optimism that the diplomatic and military trap around Afghanistan is now in place.

There was even a chance that Afghanistan's ruling Taleban regime would collapse without military action, he claimed.

Mr Blair told reporters on board his Royal Air Force VC10: "The role of Pakistan is vital. If they are not supporting the Taleban that is a huge problem for the Taleban."

The latest diplomatic drive from Mr Blair coincides with similar efforts by US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The Indian foreign ministry has said Mr Blair will continue his tour with a visit to India after his meetings in Pakistan.

The prime minister also used his Pakistan visit to announce more humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and to say that the UK "would not walk away" from the region.

But one of the key parts of the trip was to seek a deal with President Musharraf on the composition of a multi-ethnic coalition government, perhaps headed by the exiled king, to replace the Taleban.

"Most people accept that the best thing for everyone is to have a regime which is broad-based, stable and as democratic as possible," said Mr Blair.
Pakistan leader General Musharraf is seen as a key player in the coalition.

His country used to be the Taleban's closest ally but has now lined up behind Washington's demand that it surrender Bin Laden, the prime suspect for last month's attacks.

The Pakistan government says the evidence it has been shown by Washington against Osama Bin Laden is enough to indict him for trial.

Before leaving London for Moscow on Thursday, Mr Blair outlined some of the "overwhelming evidence" to an emergency meeting of Parliament, but said precise details could not yet be released without compromising people and security.

The publication of some of the evidence will have pleased General Musharraf, who faces doubts from sections of his country over his support to America.
 
Meanwhile, Ms Short said Afghanistan's neighbours, such as Iran, Pakistan and Tajikstan, had to be persuaded to open their borders to fleeing refugees.

"The biggest danger from this situation of innocent life being lost is from hunger," she said, stressing the problems faced in getting aid into Afghanistan.