Pakistan PM: 'We'll fight our own battles'

WASHINGTON, July 28 (UPI) -- Pakistan will fight its own battles against extremists, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told U.S. President George Bush in Washington Monday.

Bush and Gilani met in the Oval Office and then appeared before reporters before heading to lunch.

"We are committed to fight against those extremists and terrorists who are destroying and making the world not safe. And that is -- this is our own war. This is a war which is against Pakistan. And we'll fight for our own cause," Gilani said amid mounting concern over increased Taliban and al-Qaida activity along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.

"I told the prime minister that the United States is committed to helping the Afghan democracy succeed, which is in Pakistan's interest," Bush said. "He -- after all, the prime minister wants there to be a peaceful country on his border.

"The U.S., I repeat, respects the sovereignty of this democracy. And -- and we also appreciate the prime minister's strong words against the extremists and terrorists who not only would do us harm but have harmed people inside Pakistan."

Democratic U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama has expressed support for proposals to chase insurgents into Pakistani territory and to act on "credible" intelligence on militant strongholds.