Condoleezza Rice meets PM Gilani, COAS Kayani

Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 12:40 pm under Pakistan Breaking news Condoleezza Rice meets PM Gilani, COAS Kayani

ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani here Thursday and discuss regional issues, including escalating tension between Pakistan and India following Mumbai terrorist attacks.

Rice, who arrived in Islamabad earlier today on one-day official visit following her trip to New Delhi, was on a mission to defuse tension between two neighboring countries escalated after Mumbai terrorist attack.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher, US Ambassador to Islamabad Anne W. Patterson and other high-ups were also accompanied with Rice in her meeting with PM Gilani, who was assisted by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar.

PM reoffered country’s all-out cooperation with India in probing into Mumbai attacks and to carry out a joint investigation into the incident, says ARY OneWorld.

Earlier, Rice met with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and discussed post-Mumbai attack security situation of the region.

In meeting, General Kayani declared that Pakistan will respond to any aggression with full capacity, reiterating country’s offer to carry out a joint investigation with India into Mumbai attack, say news reports.