New Delhi, Oct 16(ANI): U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns on Friday raised the concern over the situation that is being faced in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and said that the Obama administration needs the support from all the major powers to fight terrorism.

Burns, who is in India for talks on promoting bilateral relations between the two countries, said this while addressing the media in the national capital

“I think all of us are concerned about the situation in Afghanistan as well as in Pakistan and I think that simply underscores the importance of our collective effort to support Afghan authorities in the fight against violent extremists, who in the past have done great damage to many of us and to threaten all of us in the future,” William Burns said.

“I think the same is true with regard to the support to the Pakistani leadership to take on firmly and vigorously, the challenge posed by violent extremists inside Pakistan,” he added.

Burns further said that the Obama administration was committed to the implementation of the civilian nuclear agreement.”We believe it is a historic step which benefits both of our countries and I would note that Prime Minister Singh as recently a couple of weeks ago made clear publicly his support for the broad objective as President Obama laid out in his speech in Prague last spring,” Burns said.

Earlier on Thursday, Burns had met External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and is reported to have discussed matters relating to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Washington next month.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be the guest at President Barack Obama’s first State Dinner, to be held on November 24. (ANI)