Pakistan and U.S. ties to remain close: military official

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Defense ties between Pakistan and the United States will remain strong through the next administration despite tough talk from U.S. presidential candidates looking to review the relationship, a top Pakistan military official said on Saturday.

Tariq Majeed, Pakistan's chairman of Pakistan's joint chiefs of staff committee, told Reuters on the sidelines of a security conference that the common goal of fighting terrorism will be the basis of the relationship between the two countries.

"We have common objectives, shared goals and common commitments, therefore I find no reason why we should not be close -- even with a change of U.S. administration," Majeed said.

Republican nominee John McCain has said that the United States must work with the Pakistan government to stamp out extremist-run training camps inside Pakistan.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has said he would be willing to attack al Qaeda inside Pakistan without Pakistani approval.

He said Pakistan would have to close down al Qaeda training camps and drive out the Taliban in order to continue to receive U.S. military aid.

"We have had good relations all along and we hope that the similar kind of relations will continue in the future," Majeed told Reuters.

Pakistan has been a key U.S. ally after September 11, as American forces try to hunt down al Qaeda leaders and Taliban militants along the country's border with Afghanistan.

But the country's recent peace talks with the militants linked to al Qaeda and Taliban has left U.S. officials concerned. Afghanistan officials have accused Pakistan of allowing the Taliban to use Pakistani territory as a safe haven and an area to regroup and plan further attacks.

(Reporting by Melanie Lee; Editing by David Fox)