Turk general warns Pakistan about Taliban

ANKARA, Turkey, March 10 (UPI) -- The head of Turkey's military told a conference in Ankara that cozying up to the Taliban could backfire for Pakistani opposition political parties.

Speaking at a security symposium in Ankara, Gen. Yasar Buyukanit predicted that opposition politicians could wind up seeing the Taliban making a grab for power in the event that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is ousted in future elections.

"I hope the situation in Pakistan stabilizes soon," Buyukanit said. "Any support should be given for that. Otherwise Taliban style administration will take the power."

Hurriyet said Buyukanit's remarks came after Pakistani opposition parties agreed over the weekend to form a government in the wake of last month's election, which left Musharraf in office but weakened.

The New Anatolyin said the general also reminded the crowd that terrorists aligned with the Taliban, which is based in Afghanistan, continued to seek access to weapons of mass destruction such as Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.