Cheney meets Musharraf, expresses solidarity

Cheney arrived here early today on a daylong visit to Pakistan on the second leg of his five-nation tour that will also take him to Oman, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Cheney, who represented Washington at the opening session of Afghanistan’s parliament yesterday, flew into Islamabad from Kabul to assess reconstruction efforts in earthquake-ravaged Pakistan.

“I have come here to express sympathy for and solidarity with the earthquake affected,” he said during his meeting with Musharraf.

Musharraf said that American Chinook helicopters had “made the relief operation possible”. They also reviewed important bilateral issues.

Cheney will also travel to quake-devastated Muzaffarabad. Ahead of Cheney’s visit, an official statement said that “(us) President (George W) Bush has asked the Vice-President to stop in Pakistan as well to assess ongoing us relief and reconstruction efforts in the wake of October’s devastating earthquake.”

Cheney is the second top us leader to visit quake-hit Pakistan since the disaster struck. Us Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unscheduled stopover on October 12 and assessed the country’s relief needs.