Thursday, September 28 2006 12:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: US President George Bush held a 'constructive exchange' with his feuding counterparts from Afghanistan and Pakistan during a dinner at the White House yesterday (Sept 27,2006). The dinner and talks lasted longer than expected - more than two hours - but White House officials cautioned reading too much into the length of discussions, CNN reported. A White House statement after the dinner said the three presidents had a "constructive exchange" on issues affecting the region, and "the common challenge posed by extremism and terrorism." The two Asian leaders have sniped at each other for days over the blame for a Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan and what neighbouring Pakistan could do to counter it. Bush has met both leaders separately over the past week. US Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the ambassadors to the US from both Pakistan and Afghanistan were among those at yesterday's dinner.