Clinton sees "intense" Afghanistan-Pakistan talks

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday she expected "intense sessions" when the presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan come to Washington for three-nation talks next week.

President Barack Obama is due to meet Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday and Thursday, following through on a pledge for regular high-level, three-way meetings aimed at improving coordination and strategy to stabilise the Asian countries.

Clinton, who met jointly with Afghan and Pakistani foreign ministers in Washington in February, said such meetings were useful to "change mind-sets" and put forward what Washington wanted both sides to do.

"We'll have some very intense sessions on the specifics of what we're trying to accomplish," Clinton said of next week's presidential-level meetings.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the three presidents would meet together and Obama then planned separate sessions with Karzai and Zardari.

"The president looks forward to discussing with these two democratically elected leaders how we can work together to enhance our cooperation in this important part of the world, as the United States implements a new strategy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan," Gibbs told reporters.

The Obama administration wants Pakistan to do more to fight home-grown militants that pose a threat to neighbouring Afghanistan, where the United States along with allies is trying to rout the Taliban.

Pakistan's army this week sought to evict Taliban fighters from a strategic valley northwest of the capital Islamabad, a military move the Obama administration has welcomed after weeks of criticism that Islamabad was not doing enough.