The United States views President General Pervez Musharraf as the 'best man' at the helm of Pakistan's affairs, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage says. "Pakistan is heading towards democracy," Armitage told Pakistan's private Dubai-based satellite television, "Geo." Asked about Musharraf's continuation as army chief, Armitage said that US Secretary of State Colin Powell has already issued a statement that the president and the people of Pakistan would decide whether he should shed or keep his military uniform after December 31. Armitage said that the US and Pakistan had made headway on the issue of the delivery of F-16 fighter planes to Pakistan. He said that the US had already delivered helicopters and night vision equipment to Pakistan. The US was aware of the Pakistani Air Force's defense requirements, he added. Armitage praised Pakistan's effort to purge the region of terrorism. "Anti-terror operations by Pakistan have reduced Taliban capabilities to sabotage the Afghan presidential polls," he said. The US official said that Taliban attacks had reduced in the past few weeks and a change in the US government would not affect Pak-US relations. Armitage praised Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and called him a talented and capable person. On Indo-Pak relations, he said that the joint statement of September 24 issued after a meeting between Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York would help normalize relations between the two countries.
