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U.S. Tells Musharraf To End Emergency

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By MATTHEW ROSENBERG, The Associated Press

Published: November 18, 2007

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Washington's No. 2 diplomat delivered a blunt message to Pakistan's military ruler, telling him that emergency rule must be lifted and his opponents freed ahead of elections.

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte's visit was seen as a last best chance to avoid political turmoil in Pakistan. He met for more than two hours Saturday with President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Pakistan's deputy army commander, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani.

"I urged the government to stop such actions, lift the state of emergency and release all political detainees," Negroponte told a news conference at the U.S. Embassy today at the end of his trip. "Emergency rule is not compatible with free, fair and credible elections."

But Negroponete also praised Musharraf's efforts in the war on terror, and said he was heartened by the announcement of an election date for Jan. 9.

Musharraf has insisted - publicly and in his meeting with Negroponte - that he will not lift the emergency powers unless the security situation improves.

Thousands of opponents have been jailed, Supreme Court judges purged and independent TV stations muffled since the state of emergency came into effect Nov. 3. Just ahead of Negroponte's visit, Musharraf freed opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and a leading human rights activist, and loosened his restrictions on several independent television news outlets.

Negroponte expressed impatience with Musharraf, saying he hoped to see more steps toward democracy soon.

Shortly after arriving in Pakistan, Negroponte phoned Bhutto, the highest-level U.S. contact with the Pakistani opposition leader since the emergency rule began.

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