Washington, June 30: The most effective way for the United States to persuade Pakistan to do more against terrorists is to maintain close ties between the defence establishments of both nations, the Marine general chosen by US President Barack Obama to lead the Afghanistan war has said.

Lieutenant General John Allen told a US Senate panel that he would try to maintain close relations with Pakistani commanders after he takes over the command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan early next month.

Senator Jack Reed, a senior Democrat, underlined the need to continue US-Pakistan defence ties during General Allen's nomination debate, which otherwise was very hostile to Pakistan, the Dawn reports.

"Have you had the occasion to or intend to meet on a regular basis [with Pakistan Army chief] General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and your counterparts on the Pakistani armed forces?" Senator Reed asked.

"I have met General Kayani on a number of occasions. It is not a relationship yet, that I hope to develop," said General Allen.

The new ISAF commander said that his predecessor General David Petraeus and he plan to visit Islamabad soon, so that the relationship General Petraeus had enjoyed with General Kayani "can ultimately be passed to me".

"I look forward to the opportunity to work closely with General Kayani and other senior Pakistani military leaders in partnership. Because in the end we have so many common objectives that we need to get after," he maintained.

Senator Scott P. Brown, a senior Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, however, appeared unimpressed with the need to maintain ties to Pakistan.

"Gosh, we're giving them $4 billion, and yet sometimes we don't know if they're in or they're out. Are they with us, are they not?" he questioned.

"Well, I think there is a role, Senator. The role, as has been demonstrated by (previous ISAF commanders) General Stanley McChrystal and General Petraeus, was to seek ways and opportunity across the border with the Pakistani military to try to have effect upon the nature of the border, the safe havens, those elements of the insurgency where we can focus our efforts," General Allen responded. (ANI)