Holbrooke to shape US policy towards Afghanistan, Pak

Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke would shape overall policy of the Obama Administration towards the two Asian countries, the State Department said.

Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke would shape overall policy of the Obama Administration towards the two Asian countries, the State Department said.

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The clarification came after the US President asked Bruce Riedel, a former CIA official, to chair an inter agency policy review on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

State Department spokesperson Robert Wood told reporters that Holbrooke's responsibilities are to coordinate amongst all the US Government agencies who have been involved with regard to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Riedel is going to be, you know, sort of overseeing this review of our policy, but that is separate from what Ambassador Holbrooke is doing," he said.

Holbrooke is currently in Pakistan meeting with top officials of the country, including the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Chief of Army Staff and Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence.

"Holbrooke is in Pakistan, as he said, to listen and learn the ground realities of this critically important country, and he'll report his findings back to the Secretary (of State) and to the President upon his return," Wood said.