By DPA
Islamabad : Britain Thursday opposed any US incursion into Pakistan's tribal areas to target Taliban and Al Qaeda hideouts and stressed the importance of more coordinated efforts to quell terrorism.
"The right way forward is the one based on partnership between different countries," British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told reporters in Islamabad after talks with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Kasuri.
White House Homeland Security Adviser Frances Townsend said earlier this week that his country would "use all instruments at its disposal" to act against Al Qaeda and Taliban elements inside Pakistan.
However, Washington later played down the possibility, with Deputy Secretary of State Nicholas Burns telling the US Senate: "Pakistan is one of our closest partners globally and the most indispensable ally in the fight against Al Qaeda."
Miliband insisted that the partnership between Pakistan, Britain and other countries that have their forces in Afghanistan, including the US, was working well.
Describing the problem of militancy in Pakistani tribal areas as a "shared challenge", he said it was important, especially for the British public, to understand that "nearly 1,000 Pakistani soldiers and civilians have themselves been killed as a result of terrorism".
Miliband, who also met separately President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, said he raised with Islamabad the issue of terrorists getting training in Pakistan to carry out attacks in Britain.
"There are responsibilities in both the UK government an in Pakistan to tackle with the terrorism that stems or originate from the work of British-born Pakistani residents," Miliband said.
He praised Musharraf for the efforts being made by the Pakistani government to combat growing terrorism and extremism.
Describing Pakistan as an "important ally" of Britain, Miliband reiterated his government's desire to further the relationship between the two countries.
Miliband arrived in Islamabad late Wednesday as part of his first visit to the region since the cabinet of new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was sworn in last month.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri blasted the Bush administration, terming the US talk of strikes as "irresponsible".
"In fact, they are counterproductive to the efforts and cooperation Pakistan and US are making jointly. This may be election season in the US but it should not be at our expense," he said.
Kasuri emphasized that Pakistan's "concerted efforts" against terrorism were in its national interest. "We cannot develop economically unless we have rooted out terrorism."
He defended the government's 2006 peace deal with Islamic militants in North Waziristan, which US believes has turned the area into safe havens for the pro-Taliban fighters and Al Qaeda operatives who launch cross-border attacks on US-led international forces.
"In the long run you can have only a political approach," Kasuri said, adding that more troops were being deployed in the area to ensure that local tribesmen fulfil their obligations regarding containing foreign fighters.