Rice sees promising Pak-Afghan rapport

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday she saw better rapport between Pakistan and Afghanistan that would help international efforts to stabilise a region that has been a hotbed of terrorism.

“There’s a new spirit between President Zardari and President Karzai,” Rice told Reuters in an interview after the launch of a multilateral “Friends of Pakistan” group to help Islamabad tackle its massive economic and security problems.

Rice held talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai — US-allied countries whose disputes have hampered the campaign against terrorism.

“They both speak very warmly of one another. They have some ideas about how to bring some political reconciliation of various tribals on both sides of the border and how to use this to bring greater stability,” Rice said of the two leaders.

“The president of Pakistan seems quite committed and resolute about resolving the multiple challenges,” she said.