Pakistan rebuffs U.S. plan for CIA buildup: report

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf this month rebuffed U.S. proposals to let the CIA have greater latitude to operate in tribal areas where al Qaeda, the Taliban and other militant groups are active, The New York Times said in Sunday editions.

The paper cited U.S. and Pakistani officials who spoke to the Times in recent weeks about U.S.-Pakistani talks that included the two top U.S. intelligence officials, who traveled secretly to Pakistan.

It said Pakistan and Washington were now discussing other joint efforts.

These include increasing the number and scope of missions by armed Predator surveillance aircraft over tribal areas, and identifying ways that Washington can speed information to Pakistan about suspected militants, the Times said.

The unannounced January 9 meetings involved U.S. Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden.

Musharraf rebuffed proposals to expand U.S. combat presence in Pakistan whether via unilateral covert CIA or joint operations with Pakistani security forces, the paper reported.

The meetings with Musharraf were the first by senior Bush administration officials after the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, and included army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani as well as the head of Pakistan's leading military intelligence agency, Lt. Gen. Nadeem Taj, the Times said.

The visit, confirmed by U.S. and Pakistani government spokesmen who declined to provide details, was prompted by U.S. concerns about al Qaeda and the Taliban increasing their efforts to destabilize Pakistan.

Accounts of the one-day talks between the Pakistani leader and U.S. officials were provided by U.S. and Pakistani officials over the past two weeks, the Times said.

The newspaper quoted one senior official as saying the purpose of the mission "was to convince Musharraf that time is ticking away" and that increased attacks on Pakistan would ultimately undermine his hold on power.

According to other officials, recent intelligence indicates that al Qaeda was operating in the tribal areas with impunity akin to that of the days before the September 11 attacks, the Times said.

(Writing by Chris Michaud; Editing by Xavier Briand)