Friday, December 23 2005 11:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: The issue of cross border terrorism figured in the talks Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran had with senior Bush administration officials who assured him that it was a 'matter very high' on the agenda of US-Pak parleys.

"In the spirit of our relationship I have shared with the United States administration the phenomenon of cross border terrorism as well", Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said in response to a question at the end of his two-day visit to Washington.

In the course of his visit Saran met a number of senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns. Saran maintained that officials of both sides have used the latest occasion to discuss a range of issues.

"I have brought to their attention that we still do not see a clear pattern in terms of decrease and elimination of cross border terrorism and infiltration", Saran said.

When asked what the response of the Bush administration had been, the Foreign Secretary said, "We have been assured by the US that this is a matter very high on the agenda of US-Pakistan talks".