ALGIERS - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice welcomed Asif Ali Zardari's election as Pakistani president on Saturday and praised what she said was his emphasis on fighting terrorism.

Speaking to reporters travelling with her in north Africa, Ms Rice said she was looking forward to working with Mr Zardari, adding she had spoken to him on the telephone but had not as yet met him.

'Now with a new president, I think we have got a good way forward,' she said.

'I was impressed by some of the things that he said about the challenges that Pakistan faces, about the centrality of fighting terrorism, and about the fact that the terrorism fight is Pakistan's fight and also his very strong words of friendship and alliance with the United States.' -- REUTERS