ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and the United States Friday agreed to short-term specific actions both the countries would take together against high-value targets and violent extremists in Pakistan. There can be no peace, no stability, no democracy and prosperity in Pakistan, unless the violent extremists are removed, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen told a press conference after a daylong visit to Pakistan. Clinton, who was here to mend ties with Pakistan after US unilateral raid in Abbottabad on May 2, is to certify release of US civilian assistance to the tune of $1.5 billion dollars under the Kerry-Lugar-Berman legislation. Clinton and Admiral Mullen together had extensive meetings with Pakistani leadership including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, DG ISI and senior officials of foreign and interior ministries at Aiwan-e-Sadr. Clinton made it clear that the US had given billions of dollars to Pakistan, more than what China and Saudi Arabia had given to it. She denied that the meetings, held under blanket security, were tense and said that she had heard Pakistan had committed itself to some very specific action. She said Pakistan deserved more credit for its efforts in the war against terror. I would return to Washington ever more committed, to the relationship, she said. She, however, acknowledged that there are common objectives between the two countries, there are challenges as well as differences, adding that the US and Pakistan have been friends for long time and their relations are based on mutual interest and mutual respect. She said both the countries needed to redouble efforts to counter extremism and terrorism, adding that the al Qaeda syndicate still a threat after the killing of its leader Osama bin Laden. She assured full support of the US to Pakistan in the long haul. We will continue to support Pakistans sovereignty, civilian elected government and its people, ... but Pakistan has to solve its problems itself, she said. She was of the opinion that her country desired a strong, democratic and stable Pakistan but pointed out that it was important for the people of Pakistan to choose what type of country they wish to live in. Hard choices need to be made for a better future, she added. We have to disrupt, dismantle, defeat and destroy al Qaeda from Pakistan and the region. We will do our part and look to Pakistan for decisive steps in the days ahead, Clinton said. The US and Pakistan have worked together to kill and capture many terrorists on the Pakistani soil. She said it could not have been possible without the close cooperation between the two countries. Pakistan and US have captured and killed a number of extremist leaders but still there are safe havens for al Qaeda here from where they plan attacks on innocent people across the world including Pakistanis, she said. Deliberate misunderstandings, the conspiracy theories, and accusations have nothing to do with our common target of a constructive future, she said, adding that people of Pakistan must understand that anti-Americanism or conspiracy theories would not make the problems disappear. However, granting clean chit to at least the top leadership, both civilian and military, she said: There was no evidence that Pakistani government leaders knew where Osama bin Laden was hiding. Asked a question about those who supposedly knew though at the lower level, she said, they would have gone themselves against Osama if they knew about his hiding in Abbottabad. They were emotional at certain point of time. For instance, the President (Zardari) said there was sufficient evidence of al Qaeda being involved in killing of his wife (former prime minister Benazir Bhutto). So how could he spare such a high-value target while having personal concerns, as well, she said. To another question about the issue of visas for US military officials and reported desire of Pakistani authorities to reduce the American troops presence here, she said she did not see anything officially in this regard. However, Admiral Mullen confirmed that they recently received a request to reduce the number of military trainers. We are in a process of examining that and would see the areas where the US military presence needs to be reduced, he added. I do not want to misreport on trust, which was recently shaken and in todays meeting I shared this commitment with Pakistani military leadership to rebuild it at the earliest, Mullen added to the answer by the Secretary of State. The chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff underscored the need for greater cooperation between the two wary allies in the war against the Taliban and al Qaeda. Earlier, Clinton said the Pakistani leadership had assured her to take some very specific steps and then we would take some joint actions, in the fight against terrorism. Describing the relations at turning point, Clinton said, both Pakistan and the US had more work to be done in fight against militancy. Clinton also made it clear that no peace deal in Afghanistan could bear fruit without Pakistan, as Pakistan has legitimate interest in Afghanistan. No nation has paid a higher price to terrorism than Pakistan, she said but rushed to add: We both recognise there is still much more work required and its urgent. The US and Pakistan have worked together to kill or capture many of these terrorists on Pakistani soil, Clinton said. Meanwhile, spokesperson to the President, Farhatullah Babar while commenting on meeting between the visiting US dignitaries and Pakistani leadership said that a candid, constructive and positive exchange of views took place on a host of issues in the meetings that lasted for over two hours and covered the full spectrum of Pakistan-US relations and issues of regional stability and security including countering terrorism and peace in Afghanistan. During the meeting, President Zardari made clear the will of the people and prevailing public sentiment on issues of national sovereignty, security and Pakistans national interests in line with the unanimous resolution recently adopted in the joint sitting of the Parliament, he said. Both sides reaffirmed the imperatives of the Pakistan-US relations and the need for forging durable partnership on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual benefit. Secretary Clinton stated that a secure, stable, democratic and prosperous Pakistan was in the US national interest and a critical factor in regional stability and peace. The two sides agreed that in pursuing counter-terrorism efforts, both countries would work together in any future action against high-value targets in Pakistan. The two sides acknowledged that militancy threatened both countries and it was in both countries interest to fight it out. They also agreed on putting relations back on track and to cooperate and work together in not only countering terrorism but also in promoting cooperative ties as well as for reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan. The two sides accepted that it was in interest of both countries that relations based on respect for sovereignty, mutual trust and mutual interest should move on and carried forward in a mutually beneficial manner. The spokesperson said there also was an agreement to recommence the preparatory work for the strategic partnership dialogue process. The issue of drone attacks also came under discussion with President Zardari emphatically underlying the need for revisiting the issue, he said. Hillary Clinton said the US recognised the difficult political and military challenges faced by Pakistan and that she had come to reiterate the value of mutual relations. She said President Obama had repeatedly demonstrated commitment to long-term partnership and that there was no room for misunderstanding and misperception. Agencies add: Clinton was unapologetic over the Abbottabad raid, which was the latest in a series of incidents, from US drone attacks inside Pakistan to the arrest of a CIA contractor for killing two Pakistanis, that have strained ties. Instead, she noted that Pakistan has a high concentration of militant leaders. For the past decade, many of the worlds most vicious terrorists, including al Qaedas most important leaders, have been living in Pakistan, she said. She said the United States was attempting to split the Taliban in Afghanistan from al Qaeda, and encourage those militants to reconcile with the Afghan government. While acknowledging Pakistans interests in a stable and secure Afghanistan, she noted that Pakistan needs to be more helpful. Many of the leaders of the Taliban continue to live in Pakistan, she said. Pakistan has the responsibility to help us, help Afghanistan by preventing insurgents from waging war from Pakistani territory. We look forward to putting those words into action and seeing momentum for a political resolution. Clinton said the talks discussed in detail how to disarm, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda in the region. We will do our part and we look to the government of Pakistan to take decisive steps in the days ahead, she said. Islamabad this week authorised all means to wipe out militants, but stopped short of unveiling specific new military operations. In three separate meetings between senior Pakistani and US officials in the past two weeks, the United States has discussed specific militant leaders it wants Pakistan to take action against, according to a US official, a Pakistani government official and a Pakistani intelligence official. The officials declined to say which militants were discussed or the specific action the US expects Pakistan to take but confirmed that the names had been raised during a visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The United States has long put pressure on Pakistan to lead a major air and ground offensive in North Waziristan, the most notorious Taliban and Al-Qaeda bastion used to launch attacks across the border in Afghanistan. Pakistan has always maintained that any such operation would be of its own time and choosing, arguing that its 140,000 troops committed to the northwest are too overstretched fighting against militants who pose a domestic threat. Clinton and Adm Mullen went to hold meetings together with Pakistani leaders to give out one, forceful message. Having all of Pakistans civilian and military leadership in one room was unusual, perhaps an effort to get them talking to each other more. Clinton arrived in Pakistan under intense security, her 20-car armoured motorcade racing through the city to the presidential palace with helicopters flying overhead. She sat fairly stone-faced at the start of her meeting with Pakistans president, prime minister, foreign secretary and army chief. Meanwhile, Admiral Mullen called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne at Joint Staff Headquarters Chaklala and discussed various matters of mutual interests and emerging geo-strategic situation in the region.