Thursday, September 28 2006 12:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Emphasising that the US, Pakistan and Afghanistan needed to work together on various 'challenges', President George W Bush has said his dinner meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai was a chance to 'strategise together'.

"We've got a lot of challenges facing us. All of us must protect our countries. But at the same time, we all must work to make the world a more hopeful place. And so today's dinner is a chance for us to strategise together, to talk about the need to cooperate, to make sure that people have got a hopeful future," Bush said in remarks prior to his meal at the White House with the two leaders yesterday.

"The main thing I was looking forward to talking about is how the United States Government and the people of the US can help these two countries provide a foundation for hope," he said.

He said the three countries would continue to hunt for Al-Qaeda supremo Osama Bin Laden.

"We will continue to make sure that extremists such as Osama bin Laden, that wants to ... Hurt my friend here (Musharraf), as well as upset the democracy in Afghanistan, is brought to justice," Bush remarked.

Calling both Karzai and Musharraf 'personal friends' of his, the American President said the two were "strong leaders who have an understanding of the world in which we live." "They understand that the forces of moderation are being challenged by extremists and radicals. And we're working closely together to help improve the lives of the people in Afghanistan and the people in Pakistan," Bush said.