U.S. presses for Pakistan's help to get bin Laden

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The United States is certain Pakistan could persuade neighboring Afghanistan to hand over suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden, a top U.S. diplomat said Saturday.

Washington believes Pakistan's continued support for Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia means it could play ''a very constructive role in bringing Osama bin Laden to justice,'' said U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering, speaking in Islamabad.

Bin Laden is suspected of masterminding the twin U.S. Embassy bombings in East Africa in 1998. Bin Laden, who is on the U.S. 10 Most Wanted List, is living in Afghanistan protected by the Taliban, who have refused to hand him over for trial either in the United States or a third country.

''We hope in fact that we can encourage in every conceivable way Pakistan to use all of its contacts and all of its relationships with the Taliban to make it clear to the Taliban that the United States considers the harboring of Osama bin Laden as something very unfriendly to American interests,'' said Pickering.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied having influence enough with the Taliban to force them to hand over bin Laden.

Pakistan is one of only three countries to recognize the Taliban and is considered to be the Taliban's strongest ally. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also recognize the Taliban government, which seized the Afghan capital Kabul in 1996.

Pickering is the first high-level U.S. visitor to Pakistan since President Clinton made a five-hour visit in March. Clinton urged Pakistan's military government to return to democracy, renew talks with rival India and end support for militants fighting Indian control in Kashmir.

Pickering repeated Washington's call for Pakistan to end aid to militants.

Pickering also pressed Pakistan to sign the global test ban treaty and warned that the possession of nuclear weapons by India and Pakistan could result in a nuclear confrontation that would be ''catastrophic.''

Pakistan says it wants a nationwide consensus before signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. India has expressed its willingness to sign, but has not offered any date.