ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - President Gen. Pervez Musharraf held talks with two senior U.S. diplomats and a top military official Saturday amid a growing political crisis, as the embattled leader received indications that Washington would accept him remaining as president and army chief.
Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher met with Musharraf near the capital, Islamabad, said an official at the president's office on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.
Adm. William Fallon, commander of the U.S. Central Command, also met separately with Musharraf at his office in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, said the official without providing any further details.
The official said Negroponte praised Pakistan's role in the fight against terrorism, and Musharraf informed the U.S. officials about the steps his government had taken to secure its border with the neighboring Afghanistan, where remnants of Taliban and al-Qaida are believed to be hiding.
Also Saturday, Negroponte and Boucher met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Islamabad.
The meetings came after Boucher on Friday urged Musharraf to ensure upcoming elections are fair and told Pakistani television that the United States believes "it's time for Pakistan to move back to democratic elections and civilian rule."
However, Boucher said "the issue of a free and fair election is much more fundamental" than how Musharraf deals with the contentious issue of his occupying both the presidency and the powerful army leadership.
"That particular question needs to be answered, but I think we have a bit of patience in seeing it answered at whatever is the appropriate time," Boucher said, according to excerpts of the interviews released by the U.S. Embassy.
Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup and became a key U.S. ally against terrorism after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has said he will ask lawmakers at the end of their terms for a new five-year term as president this fall.
However, his plans are threatened by a growing protest movement at home triggered by his March 9 suspension of the chief justice and efforts to clamp down on the media.
Critics are calling for him to give up his military post and seek another presidential term only after year-end parliamentary elections, in which opposition parties hope to make gains.
Remarks by some U.S. officials have suggested that Washington is pressing Musharraf harder for democratic change. However, others -- including President Bush -- have made clear that securing Pakistan's cooperation against al Qaeda and the Taliban is a more pressing concern.
Boucher's comments come amid a flurry of visits by senior U.S. officials to Islamabad, which have fanned talk in Pakistan about whether Washington might distance itself from a military leader whose domestic support appears to be waning.
That speculation follows calls from some influential U.S. lawmakers for Washington to reduce its support for Pakistan due to its perceived failings in dealing with the Taliban and in restoring democracy.
Boucher lauded the "enormous" achievements and sacrifices made by Pakistan, which has captured hundreds of al Qaeda suspects, including several top leaders, and has lost hundreds of soldiers battling militants near the Afghan border.
However, he said more had to be done in both Pakistan and Afghanistan to eliminate "spaces where terrorists can plot and plan," including in Pakistan's wild border region, which is considered a possible hiding place for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Boucher, who has been in Pakistan since Tuesday, was joined Friday by both Negroponte and Fallon.
A Pakistani government official insists the timing for such a meetings was a coincidence and that all three visits were of a "routine nature." The official asked for anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
