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'Clinton has not set any timeframe for Pak visit'

WASHINGTON: White House has said President Bill Clinton has not set any timeframe on making the decision to include Pakistan in his next month's visit to South Asia.

"We don't have any particular timeframe on making the decision", White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart told a press briefing.

He was responding to a question that Senator Tom Daschle and several others were urging the President to go to Pakistan.

Lockhart cited last week's press conference of US President in which he did not rule out visiting Pakistan in his South Asian tour.

"I will make a decision about whether to go (to Pakistan) based on what I think will best serve our long-term interest in non-proliferation, in trying to stop particularly, the arms race, and trying to help promote stability, democracy and a resolution of the conflict between India and Pakistan," Clinton had said on February 16 in response to a question at a press conference.

Clinton said he hoped that his visit to South Asia would highlight to Americans the importance of that region of the world to the United States.

"And the very real danger that a conflict between India and Pakistan not contained is one of the most significant security threats to the interests of the United States in this new century," he had said.

"I think the President was clear last week in the press conference that he has not made up his mind, and he will make up his mind based on what he thinks is in the best interest, what is in the US national interest," the White House spokesman said.

"But we have not tried to put an artificial timeframe on it that we've got to decide by this day or that day, and I expect that if we come to a conclusion one way or the other, we'll find a way to let you know," he added. APP