ISLAMABAD - US General David Petraeus and Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher arrived on Sunday to discuss important issues with Pakistani authorities. "They are here for previously scheduled meetings with government and military officials," US embassy confirmed, saying they would meet with government and military officials. According to informed sources, the US officials would discuss various issues, including bilateral defence cooperation, war on terror and volatile Pak-Afghan border situation. The sources further said they would meet Pakistan Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar today (Monday). Although it was not officially confirmed, the informed sources said that Gen Petraeus and Richard Boucher would also meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and senior military officials, including Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. General Petraeus's visit comes at a time when relations between the United States and Pakistan show increasing strains after a series of cross-border strikes by US forces on militants inside Pakistan. Pakistan, which is battling militants along Pak-Aghan border, strongly objects to the US strikes terming them as violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, which undermine Islamabad's efforts to isolate the militants and rally public support against militancy. Analysts have attached great significance to the visit of General Petraeus who has just taken over as 10th CENTCOM commander. They are of the view that Gen Petraeus's visit underscores how important the US considers Pakistan in anti-terror fight, particularly in Afghanistan. Online adds: General David Petraeus who took over last week as the new head of central command with responsibility for US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq could order more cross-border strikes into Pakistan, a British newspaper claimed. According to British Newspaper, David Petraeus is a fervent adherent of the newly expanded American strategy of self-defence. The strategy, outlined by Robert Gates, the American defence secretary, holds that US forces have the right to attack a target in any country, without notifying that government, if the country is harbouring a threat to American interests. This was the case with the raid in Syria last week, which resulted in the death of the al-Qaeda leader Abu Ghadiya, the newspaper said.