WASHINGTON: Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman US Joint Chiefs Staff, has said the strategy of tribal engagement has great significance in the long-term solution of the Pak-Afghan border security challenges.

The top US military officer acknowledged at a Pentagon briefing that Pakistan’s own anti-terrorism actions, launched in Bajaur under the elected democratic government, have had significant impact on curbing cross-border militancy in that part of the area.

“I think the engagement of tribal leaders is very important and — across the board, with respect to Afghanistan. And I think that’s also the case as well in Pakistan, over the long term, in terms of how this challenge that we have, particularly on the border, is eventually resolved.

“And so I think having a strategy which includes tribal engagement is a very important part,” he stated.

He did not touch on the issue of unilateral actions against the militant targets on the Pakistani side of the border in response to reporters questions but said he has been greatly encouraged by the effectiveness of Pakistani actions in the tribal areas.

“I have watched with admiration and — the Pakistani military, which has moved into Bajaur specifically over the last several months and had a very significant impact there. “General (Ashfaq Parvez) Kayani has a military which has also got a operational tempo challenge, to move his brigades routinely into the Fata. He’s essentially executing a plan that he’s laid out, and I’m very supportive of that, and encouraged but what — by what I see as a result.”

“And some of the results is what we talked — what I’ve talked about here historically is we see a fairly significant impact in that area, which is just across from Konar, on the reduction in insurgents’ ability to cross that border, to basically camp out there, to have — on the Pakistan side, to be able to train, to have that safe haven, and move - And that’s effectively what we want to see happen (in terms of coordination), and also to coordinate that with our movements on the Afghan side. So I’ve seen very positive effects,” Mullen added.