Paris, France (CNN) -- The international community is "losing the war against the Taliban," Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said Tuesday.
"Above all, this is because we lost the battle of hearts and minds," Zardari told the French newspaper Le Monde on a visit to Paris.
"The success of the insurgents is to learn how to wait. They have time on their side. It's our whole approach which is wrong," the paper quoted him as saying. "The people do not associate the intervention of the coalition with a brighter future".
Zardari and his entourage were on a plane from Paris to London, England, and not immediately available to confirm the quotes, a representative of the Pakistani Embassy in London told CNN.
The president doubted the Taliban could be defeated by force alone, Le Monde reported.
"The military reinforcements are only a small part of the answer," he said. "To win the support of the Afghan people, we must bring them economic development and prove that we can not only change their life, but also improve it".
The United States is leading military efforts against the Taliban in Afghanistan, which neighbors Pakistan.
The new commander there, Gen. David Petraeus, issued new guidelines Sunday for U.S. and allied troops fighting there.
CNN
