Blair, Musharraf vow to boost terror cooperation

PAKISTAN: British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf vowed to bolster cooperation "for years to come" in the west's war against terror.

Blair, after holding talks with Musharraf here, said Britain would more than double funding for the fight against radicalism in Pakistan, with the bulk of the money targeting madrassas or Islamic schools.

"We are going to be doubling our support over the next three years for the programme of enlightened moderation that President Musharraf has led," to 480 million pounds, Blair told reporters, during his third visit to Pakistan since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The talks had "opened another chapter in strengthening that relationship" with Pakistan, he said, adding that Musharraf was an "example for the future of Muslim countries the world over."

Musharraf meanwhile brushed off concerns about Pakistan's role in fuelling extremism and its commitment to tackling Taliban insurgents who are fighting NATO-led troops, including 4,500 British soldiers, in neighbouring Afghanistan.

"I did inform the prime minister on all that we are doing here as a strategy to combat terrorism and check extremism," Musharraf told the press conference in the eastern Pakistani city.

ISLAMABAD, Monday, AFP