Rawalpindi: A high-powered commission Saturday urged the tightening of the intelligence system between Afghanistan, the NATO forces in the country and Pakistan for effectively controlling the movement of terrorists along the Pakistan-Afghan border.
The Tripartite Commission, at its 30th meeting here, reviewed the security situation along the Pakistan-Afghan border and discussed measures to improve the effectiveness of ongoing operations in the respective areas.
The commission comprises the Pakistan Army chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani; the commander of the NATO forces in Afghanistan General Stanley A. McChrystal; and the Director (Operations) of the Afghan National Army, Lieutenant General Sher Muhammad Karimi.
Quoting military sources, Online news agency reported that it was decided at the meeting that the intelligence system between Pakistan, Afghanistan and NATO forces would be made more effective and viable for controlling the movement of terrorists along the Pakistan-Afghan border.
"The Pakistani leadership once again stressed that territorial limits should be respected in the war against terror and the firing incidents should be investigated," Online said.
The reference was to the repeated NATO drone strikes against the Taliban in Pakistan`s North and South Waziristan agency along the Afghan border.
Close to 700 people have been killed in the drone strikes that began in the middle of 2008. Eight strikes have occurred this year alone.
The Tripartite Commission meeting comes four days after US Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said that the terrorists operating in Af-Pak region could provoke a war on the sub-continent.
Contending that the terrorist groups were dangerous for the stability of the entire South Asian region, Gates sought greater cooperation among countries to reduce the threat.
"It is important to recognise the magnitude of threat the entire region (of South Asia) faces. These (terrorist) groups (in Af-Pak region) are operating under the umbrella of Al Qaeda and are orchestrating attacks using one element in Afghanistan, one element in Pakistan and working with the Lashkar-e-Taiba to plan attacks in India," Gates said at a press conference in New Delhi Wednesday.
"They are a syndicate of terrorists operating to destabilise the region. All of us should reduce the threat and eliminate it whenever possible. It requires high level of cooperation," he maintained.
"It (the terrorist syndicate) is intended to destabilize not only Afghanistan or Pakistan but whole region. They may lead India and Pakistan to war by a provocative act. It is dangerous for the whole region," he added.
IANS
