Gen. McKiernan takes over as IASF commander, expresses concern over militancy from Pakistan’s tribal regions; Pak Foreign Minister: Islamabad holding talks with “peace-loving” elements, not terrorists
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    • Gen. David D. McKiernan took over as the commander of the 52-000 strong International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan on June 3. Immediately after taking over, Gen. McKiernan expressed concerns about the rising militancy emanating from Pakistan’s tribal areas bordering the country. He also added that he would be meeting Pakistan Army’s Chief Of Staff, Gen. Parvez Kayani to urge him to address border issues more urgently, including resurrecting a mechanism made up of personnel from NATO, the Afghan and the Pakistani militaries to stem the flow of militants1.

    Pakistan's Interior Secretary Rahman Malik on his part visited Kabul and in his meetings with Afghan officials, both sides agreed on a joint border control mechanism and regular exchange of information2. Earlier in the week, Afghan President Hamid Karzai told the visiting Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi that Islamabad's peace moves with Taliban extremists in the tribal regions bordering the country could have "destructive" consequences for both nations. Qureshi on his part stated that Islamabad was not holding peace talks with "terrorists" but only with "peace-loving" elements as part of a multi-pronged strategy to fight extremism3.

    The US First Lady Laura Bush meanwhile visited Afghanistan on June 8 in what was her third visit to the country. Reports noted that she would be proceeding to Paris to take part in the donor conference scheduled to be held on June 12, where Kabul was expected to seek more than $50 billion from the international community for its developmental projects4.

    In other developments, an Indian working for a road construction company was killed and three others injured on June 5 in a suicide bomb attack in the south-western Afghan province of Nimroz. In other incidents, over 25 people, including 16 Taliban militants were also killed in southern Afghansitan.

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