He returned on Wednesday from his first solo overseas trip as President George W. Bush's national security adviser in which he visited Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan to discuss fighting terrorism, denying safe haven to militants, and the US goal of spreading democracy in that region.

"In the meetings in Pakistan, I started by expressing appreciation particularly to President (Pervez) Musharraf for the things he did do to fight the war on terror, to go after al-Qaeda. They are also increasing their focus on the Taliban," Hadley told a small group of reporters.

al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who is believed to be hiding in the mountainous, remote border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan, has evaded capture since the September 11, 2001, attacks.

The Taliban, ousted as rulers of Afghanistan by US forces following the September 11 attacks, has been regrouping and attacking.

"There is obviously some tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan about activities on the border, and my message there was it is a common problem and it will only be solved through common action," Hadley said.

"The only way to discipline a border is working both sides of a border and that requires cooperation at all levels, and I encouraged folks to enhance and intensify that cooperation," he said.

Hadley acknowledged the sensitivities involving some of the US military operations in Afghanistan and said he hoped some of the misunderstandings would be smoothed over as the United States worked more with Afghan forces.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai earlier questioned the need for US airstrikes, some of which have caused civilian casualties.

"They want us there to help them build the country, they are concerned that we would leave too soon," Hadley said.

"It's difficult to have foreign forces in a country, particularly a country like Afghanistan in which people are very proud and do not want outsiders," he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistani army helicopter gunships pounded a suspected militant hideout in mountains along the border with Afghanistan yesterday.

One soldier and a policeman died in fresh clashes between suspected militants and Pakistani forces backed by helicopters in a tribal region on the Afghan border, officials said yesterday.

Pakistani security forces launched an attack on the suspected hideout in the North Waziristan tribal region late on Thursday following a clash with militants.

Gunbattles erupted Thursday after tribesmen opened fire on a military convoy travelling towards Khatey Killay, an area near Miranshah, the main town in rugged North Waziristan, killing the soldier, residents and officials said.

Pakistani officials say scores of al-Qaeda-linked militants are hiding out along its border with Afghanistan. Hundreds have been killed since Pakistan launched a sweep to clear them out early last year.

In the lastest fighting in North Waziristan, a Pakistani soldier was killed and three seriously wounded when militants opened fire on a military convoy late on Thursday, a security official said.