The chief of the US military held security talks with Pakistan's president and top military officers Saturday as he toured the region after the sacking of the top US commander in Afghanistan.
Admiral Mike Mullen was visiting Afghanistan and Pakistan to reassure leaders that Washington's war strategy would be unaffected by the departure of the head of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal.
"He reaffirmed the US commitment to building a long-term strategic partnership with Pakistan and provided reassurance that General Stanley McChrystal's resignation as the ISAF commander will not affect US strategy in Afghanistan," a US embassy statement said late Saturday.
Mullen, met Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and air force chef Rao Qamar Suleman the statement said.
The admiral praised Pakistan's efforts to confront violent extremists and honored the sacrifices made by Pakistan's security forces and citizens in their fight to restore peace and stability, the statement added.
Ahead of Mullen's visit, the chief of staff of the US air force, General Norton Schwartz visited Pakistan's air force headquarters, a separate statement by the US embassy said.
Schwartz placed a wreath at a monument to fallen Pakistani pilots "to honour the sacrifices made by Pakistan's security forces and citizens in their fight against violent extremists", the embassy added.
Pakistani media reported Saturday that three F-16 Fighting Falcon jets had reached Pakistan as part of a delivery of 18 new F-16 jets from the United States.
The delivery marks a renewal of aircraft sales by the United States to Pakistan that took place in the 1980s but were halted in the 1990s, a US embassy statement issued on Friday said.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other US officials "have spoken out about 'not repeating the mistakes' of the US halt in relations with Pakistan in the late 1980s and early 1990s," it added.
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