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WASHINGTON (US): President George W Bush Thursday issued Memorandum for Secretary of State determining that the Government of Pakistan is cooperating with the United States in the War on Terrorism.

The US President "authorized and directed" the Secretary of State "to report this determination to the Congress and to arrange for its publication in the Federal Register."

Text

The Presidential determination said: 

"Consistent with the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, including the Emergency Supple-mental Appropriations Act for Defense and for the Reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, 2004 (Public Law 108-106) (the "Act"), I hereby determine for the purposes of that Act that the Government of Pakistan is cooperating with the United States in the Global War on Terrorism. You are authorized and directed to report this determination to the Congress and to arrange for its publication in the Federal Register."

Signed: GEORGE W. BUSH

The formal issuance of the Presidential Determination precedes release of allocated funds.

Pakistan would soon receive a formal sanction of $200 million, which is most likely to be utilized for payment for debt write-off against $500 million, informed sources said Friday.

Pak-US Review Cooperation

A story, filed by the Federal Bureau of 'Pakistan Times' adds: Pakistan and US officials on Friday reviewed the cooperation and coordination between the two countries in the global campaign against terrorism.

The issue was discussed during talks here at the Foreign Office between Ambassador Coffer Black, US Coordinator for Counter Terrorism and Tariq Osman Hyder, Additional Secretary (UN&EC).

Ambassador Coffer Black reiterated the United States' appreciation for the key role of Pakistan in this campaign. The two sides also discussed ways and means to further enhance and consolidate bilateral cooperation in this field.

Pakistan's Troops Chase al-Qaeda Members

Meanwhile, Pakistani forces moved into selected areas of the country's border with Afghanistan after satellite telephone intercepts indicated a clue on al-Qaida members, a foreign news agency reports.

There was no indication al-Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden was involved in the conversations, but some said 'participants' discussed a man called "Shaikh" — a code name for bin Laden.

'Some people who were speaking in Arabic have been heard saying Shaikh is in good health,' the report says adding; 'The conversations took place last year.'

Officials caution they have no confirmed information on bin Laden's whereabouts, Pakistani rapid reaction forces have been deployed to specific areas along the border, a mountainous landscape that runs 2,000 miles from the Himalayas in Pakistan's northern territories to the desert of southwestern Baluchistan', the news agency said.

Backdrop

'The operations began before a sweep earlier this week in the town of Wana, 190 miles west of the capital, Islamabad. Although authorities said the Wana operation had ended, fresh paramilitary troops in 25 vehicles rolled into the town late Friday, setting up new checkpoints and examining documents.'

Troops this week leveled three homes and arrested 25 people, but there was no indication that any senior al-Qaida leader was among them. Pakistan has confirmed the operation near Wana, but the news agency says; "the troops are "quietly operating" in other "marked areas."

American counterterrorism experts, meanwhile, were meeting with their counterparts in Islamabad. The delegation will visit Pakistan for two days, an official said. Pakistani officials said security forces were vigorously chasing any clue the suspects might provide — and hunting down all members of al-Qaeda.

No safe Havens

"There are no safe havens available for them in Pakistan," said Gen. Shaukat Sultan, the ISPR chief.

US Pakistani and Afghan officials have long suspected that bin Laden has been hiding out in the border region. There has been no confirmation or any hard evidence of his whereabouts in more than two years.

Pakistan has launched four operations in the tribal areas since the Sept-11 attacks in the United States.