Zardari seeks resumption of Indo-Pak composite dialogue

Zardari, who arrived on Sunday for the annual UN General Assembly session, made the remarks during a meeting with former US President Bill Clinton last night. India has suspended the composite dialogue in the wake of the audacious Mumbai terror attacks, blamed on Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit.

Briefing newsmen on the Clinton-Zardari meeting that lasted for over 40 minutes, Pakistan President's spokesman Farahtullah Babar said the two leaders discussed issues like militancy, Pakistan-US relations, Indo-Pak ties and the situation in the region.

In the context of Indo-Pak relations, Zardari said he believed that resumption of the composite dialogue was in the best interest of the region, the spokesman was quoted as saying by Pakistan's official APP news agency. Pakistan, he said, was determined not to allow its territory to be used against any other country.

Zardari also expressed concern over US missile strikes in Pakistan's restive northwest, saying Islamabad should be provided with the drone technology so that it could itself combat the militants. Also present at the meeting was Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.