LONDON - President Asif Ali Zardari has said the joint statement at Sharm el-Sheikh should provide necessary impetus for the resumption of negotiations between Pakistan and India. President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday met British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing and discussed bilateral ties, regional and international situation with focus on economic rehabilitation and strategic support to Pakistan in the wake of fight against militancy. They also focussed on the forthcoming meeting of Friends of Democratic Pakistan. Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar, while briefing the media about the meeting between the two leaders, quoted President Zardari as saying that Pakistan was seriously focussing on the Mumbai attacks probe but as agreed in the joint statement at Sharm el-Sheikh the bilateral relations between the two countries could not be held hostage to Mumbai probe. President Zardari emphasized upon the need to carry forward the process of comprehensive upgradation of the relations between the two countries n political, economic, investment, education, science and technology and cultural fields. The President apprised the British Premier of the successes thus far in the fight against militants and the rehabilitation of displaced persons emphasising also the need for the international community to step forward and help Pakistan in this arduous task. Farhatullah Babar said issues relating to the setting up of Economic Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs), access to Pakistan manufactures in the EU markets, the forthcoming Friends of Democratic Pakistan summit in New York and the Malakand Plan also came under discussion. The President said the outcome of the Ministerial meting in Islamabad committing to rehabilitate Swat and Malakand through infrastructure development should begin without delay. About the regional situation, the President said Pakistan will work with international partners to promote stabilisation of Afghanistan and expressed the hope that the trilateral consultation between US, Pakistan and Afghanistan would gather further impetus after presidential elections in Afghanistan. Farhatullah Babar said during the last meeting between President Zardari and British Pm Brown in May this year, the two leaders had agreed to establish a strategic dialogue and the Presidents call for carrying forward the process was in the context of the agreement between the two in May this year. Brown appreciated Pakistans efforts particularly the building of national consensus in the fight against militancy, saying that Britain was committed to supporting a democratic Pakistan in economic and other fields. He also expressed complete support of Britain to democracy and democratic institutions in the country. He lauded Pakistans role in the fight against terrorism and successful operation and said national consensus in Pakistan against militants was the success of operation. The British PM has welcomed President Zardari to Number 10 for talks on a range of issues including counter-terrorism, development and education. Following the meeting between Zardari and Brown, a Downing Street spokesman said security in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained a high priority for both governments. Our highest priority in Pakistan is to work with the Pakistani government to tackle the threat of violent extremism in its border areas with Afghanistan. The Prime Minister also reiterated the UKs pledge to invest 665 million pounds over four years in programmes aimed at tackling the root causes of extremism, the spokesman added. He further said, The Prime Minister and the President agreed the need to tackle the underlying causes of extremism. The Prime Minister reiterated our support for Pakistani efforts and repeated the UKs commitment, 665 million pounds over four years. Our development programme in Pakistan is our second largest in the world; we aim to spend around half of this in the critical border areas. This requires a comprehensive approach including better governance, economic development such as a single financing mechanism, and when necessary appropriate military pressure, he added. The Downing Street spokesman further said there was a discussion and support expressed for education programme which was announced back in April that focuses on the border area of Pakistan. Brown, in particular, announced that Britain will provide textbooks in the border areas for school children and that London would support 300,000 girls from poor families attending secondary school. More needed to be done and Britain has asked international partners to step up and do more and follow up on the Tokyo Donors Conference which delivered $5 billion of pledges over the next two years, the spokesman added. AFP and Reuters add; Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Friday pressed to do more to help the fight against violent extremism, as the two countries leaders held talks Friday in London. Now we say: do more for us. Do more to fight terrorism in the world because we think the terrorists do not have any religion or any boundary, Malik said after the talks at Browns Downing Street office. Malik was present as Brown and Zardari held their first meeting since May, at which the President stressed the fight against Taliban militants in the tribal border lands would be a long-term struggle. Zardaris spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the President had emphasised the need to upgrade Pakistans capabilities in the battle against militants. He also said that Pakistan will continue to work with the international community for stabilisation of Afghanistan after the elections in that country, Babar told reporters. Brown appreciated that in Pakistan there was a national consensus in fighting against the militants and he called it a key element in the fight against militancy. APP adds: Interior Minister said the two countries have also agreed upon facilitating the return of thousands of Pakistanis who were illegally residing in the United Kingdom and Pakistan would issue special emergency documents, enabling them to return home. Rehman Malik, Presidents youngest daughter Aseefa Bhutto Zardari and spokesman to the President Farhatullah Babar accompanied the President.