Washington, Nov 6 : The US has said that it had suspended defence talks with Pakistan, and demanded the country to return swiftly to democracy after emergency rule.

Eric Edelman, Under Secretary of Defence for Policy had been due to lead a US delegation for two days of annual high-level defence talks with Pakistan beginning on Tuesday, The Nation reported.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said that the talks would not happen until political conditions improve.

"These are important bilateral meetings that require an atmosphere in which all the issues can be discussed with the full attention of all participants," Morrell said.

"We hope to reschedule this meeting as soon as conditions are more conducive to achieve the important objectives at hand," he added.

"We urge President Musharraf to return his country to law-based, constitutional and democratic rule as soon as possible," US Defence Secretary Robert Gates told reporters in Beijing.

Gates described Musharraf’s actions as "disturbing", but also stressed that any US actions against Pakistan should have no impact on global efforts to fight terrorism. (ANI)