Kabul, Islamabad talk joint security

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Pakistan supports a measure to help Afghanistan address security but respects Kabul's right to lead the process, the Pakistani prime minister said in Kabul.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met last weekend with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to address trade and bilateral security initiatives.

The Pakistani leader said he looked forward to cooperating with his neighbors on security and counter-terrorism issues.

"Terrorism and violent extremism and their international support networks are a major threat undermining peace and stability in the region and beyond and reiterated their commitment to effectively cooperating, combating and defeating these threats and eliminating their sanctuaries wherever they are," he was quote by the Associated Press of Pakistan as saying.

He added that he welcomed the work of an Afghan tribal council tasked with addressing reconciliation, noting Islamabad supported the notion that peace should be an Afghan-led effort.

Karzai said the two neighbors were tasked with addressing security challenges that come from a common enemy.

"I am emphasizing that a stable Afghanistan would benefit Pakistan and Afghanistan would not achieve peace without Pakistan's support," his office quoted him as saying.

U.S. President Barack Obama linked to the two neighbors to his revised war strategy for Afghanistan in December 2009.