News
Friday, March 07, 2008
UK urges NATO allies to help new Pakistan govt
BRUSSELS: British Foreign Secretary David Miliband urged NATO countries on Thursday to foster good relations with the new government in Pakistan and to encourage its ties with Afghanistan. “I’ll be stressing ... the importance of good relations with the new Pakistani government because it is obviously vital (to have) stability on both sides of the Afghan and Pakistan border,” he said. “It will be important to take measures to build confidence with the new government in Pakistan and the government in Afghanistan,” he told reporters ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. Miliband expressed optimism that NATO allies would arrange the extra troops and equipment demanded by Canada for it to keep a 2,500-strong contingent in southern Afghanistan, where the insurgency has been at its worst. “The Canadian contribution is very important,” he said before the talks, which are not expected to produce any troop pledges. “I’m confident that the nations of the coalition are going to stick together to ensure that we can all make maximum contribution in Afghanistan in an effective way.” Canada plans to end the mandate of its troops in 2011 but has threatened to leave in a year if helicopters, drones and reinforcements do not arrive soon. afp
Courtesy Daily Times