The UK and the US are working closely to ensure their Afghanistan strategy is as “clear, as effective and as decisive as possible”, David Miliband stressed yesterday.
The foreign secretary was speaking after talks with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Mrs Clinton and Prime Minister Gordon Brown also met for about an hour at his country residence, Chequers, where they discussed the strength of the transatlantic relationship, as well as the situation in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Europe, along with climate change.
Mr Miliband said he and Mrs Clinton had held a “detailed, intensive and productive” meeting in which Afghanistan and Pakistan topped the agenda.
He hailed the “shared strategy” on Afghanistan.
They also discussed efforts to broker agreement on the devolution of policing powers in Northern Ireland ahead of Mrs Clinton’s visit to Dublin and Belfast as part of her five-day tour of Europe.
Iran was also on the agenda with Mrs Clinton stressing the international community would not wait “indefinitely” for the country to fulfil its international obligations.
On Afghanistan, Mrs Clinton reaffirmed the US commitment to the country and said she was very clear that al Qaida posed a “direct threat” to the US and Britain.
Despite a steady flow of British casualties, Mr Brown has signalled he is willing to send about 500 more troops to bolster the UK’s force in Helmand province.
The increase is contingent on other Nato allies sharing the burden, however, and a new Afghan government being in place.
Mr Miliband said: “There are big decisions ahead for the whole of the coalition led by the US. We are working closely together in Afghan-istan and in our capitals to make sure that the coalition effort is as clear, as effective and as decisive as possible.”
Mrs Clinton praised the bravery of British troops and added: “Our strategy remains the same – we are committed to Afghanistan.
“We are very clear that the conjunction of al Qaida and elements of the Taliban and other extremists pose a direct threat to our two countries and to the world.”
Mr Miliband said critics of the Afghanistan campaign were in danger of “misunderstanding” the discussions taking place between the coalition allies.
President Barack Obama had made it “absolutely clear” it would always be appropriate to “review the civil and military components of the strategy”.
Mrs Clinton added: “We have been in office about nine months, we obviously believe the prior eight years were not as effective or as focused as they might have been.”
The two were asked about the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. They said that while the country faced a serious threat from terrorism the arsenal was not at risk.
Mr Miliband said: “The insurgencies that Pakistan faces are a mortal threat to that country but it is a threat that over the last three or four months the Pakistan military and the Pakistan people have shown enormous resolve and determination and sacrifice in beating back.”
Mrs Clinton said: “We have confidence in the Pakistani government and military’s control over nuclear weap-ons.” She said terrorists were “increasingly threatening the authority of the state, but we see no evidence they are going to take over the state”.