News
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Pak-US ties high priority: Gilani
* PM tells US congressmen Pakistan following three-pronged anti-terror strategy
* Says Afghanistan needs to do moreStaff Report
KARACHI: Pakistan accords high priority to its strategic relations with the United States and wants to expand bilateral co-operation in all fields including trade, defence, security, education, health, energy, and science and technology, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday. He was talking to the US congressional delegation led by Congressman Gary Ackerman, who is the chairman of the Sub-committee on the Middle East and South Asian Affairs at Governor House, Karachi. Other members of the delegation included Sheila Jackson (co-chairwoman of the Pakistan-Caucus), Thad McCotter, Randy Neugebauer, Russ Carnahan and Al Green. US Ambassador in Pakistan Anne W Patterson was also present. The government is determined to fight terrorism, Gilani said, noting that it was important to address the root causes of terrorism, which stem from socio-economic disparity and poverty. Strategy: He said that his government in consultation with its coalition partners has adopted a three-pronged strategy to fight terrorism: Political dialogue with those elements who have renounced terrorism by laying down arms, accelerating the pace of economic development in the country especially in the Tribal Areas and resorting to military means only if the agreements are violated. Gilani said the early setting up of the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) would stimulate economic activity in the NWFP and Balochistan and provide market access to the US. He said that the economic development of the Tribal Areas would help defeat terrorism and extremism. Pakistan is fighting terrorism and has sacrificed a lot in this regard, he said, noting the menace drew former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’ blood. Afghanistan: Gilani also said that Pakistan desires Afghanistan to be stable because a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan and the region. Pakistan is making strenuous efforts to strengthen security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border including the installation of biometric system on entry points, he said, adding that Pakistan has also offered to fence the border. There is a need for better monitoring of the border from the Afghan side, adding that Pakistan has established 900 checkposts compared to about 100 such posts on the other side, which is inadequate. The prime minister said that the government is committed to restoring the 1973 Constitution in its true form to ensure sovereignty and supremacy of parliament. The delegation congratulated the prime minister on his unanimous election as the premier, saying it was a rare honour. Adviser to the PM on National Security Mehmud Ali Durrani, the acting foreign secretary and senior government officials also attended the meeting.
Courtesy Daily Times