No threat to Zardari, Govt from Pak Army: Petraeus - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

US Central Command Chief General David Petraeus has said that he sees no threat either to the Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari or the current civilian government posed by the Army. Speaking to a few journalists at the residence of the US Ambassador Anne Patterson's residence here, Petraeus said he is positive that the Pakistan Army does not nurture any aim of destabilising the present democratic set up of the country. "I have seen no indication that General Ashfaq Kayani is entertaining such a notion. Whenever we have talked to them they say they are committed to democratically elected civilian government," The News quoted Petraeus, as saying. "When I testified before the Congress I was also asked whether the Pakistan military would take over and I said, "No", he added. Responding to a question regarding the apprehensions that both the Pakistani civilian and military leadership has expressed over fallout of the new Afghan strategy, the CENCOM chief assured that militants would not cross over, saying this was the prime reason why he in Pakistan. "This is one reason I am here and Admiral Mike Mullen will also be coming. We do need to layout the operational details but General Kayani was not apprehensive. The next step will be that General McCrystal will also come here," Petraeus said. He also brushed aside the notion regarding the US entering into talks with the Taliban to stabilise Afghanistan . "President Obama said that we would reconcile with those who renounce violence. Some Taliban have come and said that they no longer want to fight. The Taliban ruling Afghanistan is very remote," Petraeus said.