WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- President Bush will consult separately in Washington later this month with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
The White House said Thursday Bush would welcome Musharraf to the White House on Sept. 22 and Karzai on Sept. 26.
"The two presidents (Bush and Musharraf) last met during President Bush's historic visit to Pakistan in March," spokesman Tony Snow said. "The two leaders will review developments across the spectrum of our strategic partnership, including progress in bilateral cooperation in energy, education, science and technology, economic development, counter-terrorism, and advancing freedom and democracy."
Pakistan is a key strategic ally in South Asia in the war on terrorism. It also borders Afghanistan, where U.S. and coalition forces toppled the Islamist and al-Qaida-supporting Taliban in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
Snow said among the topics Karzai and Bush would broach included expansion of government programs in Afghanistan, countering the continued threat from Taliban guerrillas and efforts to stem opium production and smuggling.
