Ratcheting up pressure on Pakistan, President Barack Obama today asserted that the US will not allow "safe havens" to be used by Al-Qaeda and Taliban in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and made it clear that Islamabad needs to act against terror.
The new administration is also carrying out a thorough review of the US policies on Afghanistan and Pakistan, Obama said in his maiden press conference after assuming office on January 20.
"My bottom line is that we cannot allow Al-Qaeda to operate. We cannot have those safe havens in that region," Obama said.
This is the message his special envoy Richard Holbrooke, currently in Islamabad, has been asked to deliver to Pakistan, the President said.
Obama, who took questions on the situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran in his hour-long news conference, said the US has not seen concerted efforts to destroy such 'safe havens'.
Indicating a new US approach towards Iran, Obama said he will be looking for "openings" in coming months that could lead to "face-to-face" talks with Tehran.
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"I think that there's the possibility, at least, of a relationship of mutual respect and progress," he said.
On Afghanistan, he said no timeline could be determined for withdrawal of US troops from the war-ravaged country.