WASHINGTON - US SECRETARY of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday welcomed measures Pakistan has taken against extremists operating in the country since the Mumbai attacks, but stopped short of confirming reported arrests.

'I believe they have begun to do the right things,' she told CBS News Radio.

'We are still gathering reports, we are not yet able to confirm a lot of what we are reading about arrests and about action against the camps, but these are serious steps and we are pleased at what appears to be a serious set of steps.'

The top American diplomat refused to confirm the arrests Pakistan announced on Monday of 16 individuals linked to the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, including one of its military chiefs accused of having planned the Mumbai attacks.

'I do believe something very important is going on here but I don't want to have to speak for the details,' Ms Rice said.

Ms Rice also declined to link Laskhar-e-Taiba, widely suspected in the Mumbai attacks that killed 172 people in late November, to Al-Qaeda, which has made its stronghold in the tribal territories of northwest Pakistan that border Afghanistan.

'Clearly, Pakistan cannot be focused on what is the real threat, which is the terrorist threat, and remain focused on the state-to-state threat that is beginning to subside,' Ms Rice added.

'It benefits the terrorists. I believe that the Pakistani government understands that, the Pakistani military really understands that, and it is a very important moment for Pakistan to respond, and that is why we are gratified that some response has been made.'

The State Department on Monday said Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari had called Rice by telephone to brief her on actions taken by Pakistan since her visit to Islamabad and Delhi last week. -- AFP