KABUL, Jan 16 (Pajhwok Afghan News): Presidential spokesman Karim Rahimi on Tuesday said the international community, especially the United States had supported Afghanistan's stance on the issue of cross-border terrorism.

Speaking at his weekly press conference here, Rahimi said, in recent times, there was a visible tilt in US policy towards Afghanistan on the issue of terrorism, which would prove helpful for the country to get rid of the menace.

He referred to the recent remarks by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who asked Pakistan to do more to curb terrorism. The US secretary of state, Rahimi said, had noted that Taliban were using the tribal areas of Pakistan as their safe havens.

He also cited the statement of coalition commander General Benjamin Freackly who was reported as saying that Taliban leaders were hiding in Pakistan and were sending fighters to Afghanistan for disruptive activities.

The remarks, he said, were pointing to realities on the other side of the border and it should not be considered as an intervention. In the backdrop of those remarks by a responsible official, drastic and practical measures must be adopted against terrorists, said the spokesman.

Rahimi also quoted the US National Intelligence Director (NID) John Negroponte, who was reported as saying that al-Qaeda had found secure hideouts in Pakistan, from where it was rebuilding its strength.

Rahimi said President Hamid Karzai had time and again emphasised the need for eliminating the sources of Taliban, who existed outside Afghanistan. "We are getting closer to this fact and those remarks (by the US officials) reveal that it will yield positive results," said the spokesman.

Regarding the fencing and mining of the border, Rahimi reiterated the officials stance adopted by the Afghan government that the step would separate families and tribes instead of stopping terrorists from crossing into Afghanistan.

To a query about the holding of the proposed Peace Jirga, Rahimi said preparations were in progress on both sides. The two countries had completed formation of a commission to organise the jirga.

Lailuma Sadid

by/dk