Bush Admin proposes $ 785 Mln assistance for Pakistan in 2008
By Khalida Mazhar 'Pakistan Times' US Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON (US): The US Administration has proposed $ 785 million in assistance for Pakistan in the new financial beginning October 1.

Randall L. Tobias, Director for US Foreign Assistance and USAID Administrator said at the State Department that Pakistan’s assistance will increase to $ 785 million from more than 700 million in the current year.

The assistance will be part of US dollars three billion package covering five years, which was reached between the two countries in 2003, during President Musharraf’s visit to Washington.

In remarks at the State Department, Tobias said the Bush administration is seeking overall foreign assistance of $20.3 billion for the 2008 fiscal year.

Ambassador Tobias said the US overall foreign assistance could increase 12 percent in fiscal year 2008 from the enacted 2006 fiscal year levels as part of the $2.9 trillion budget plan President Bush proposed on Monday.

Pak-Afghan Border

According to another report, the United States has said it is working with Afghanistan and Pakistan on addressing the problem of cross-border movement of militants and observed that both neighbouring countries have responsibilities in this regard.

The State Department Spokesman also told a regular briefing that Pakistan has an interest in a stable, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan.

Spokesman Sean McCormack, responding to a question, said the United States has been and continues to be “involved with both governments” over the issue at the level of trilateral commission.

“We have a trilateral commission that is set up to improve the communications between the two governments as well as to improve the effectiveness of their efforts to stop cross-border infiltrations going both ways.”

Continuing his reply, the Spokesman added “both Pakistan and Afghanistan have responsibilities in this regard” and noted that the two countries have improved their coordination.

“They have improved their coordination. They have improved somewhat the effectiveness of that coordination,” he observed but added “there is clearly a lot more that needs to be done.”

“Pakistan has an interest in a stable, prosperous, democratic Afghanistan,” McCormack stated. He said the region and international community has an interest as well and NATO has a lot of troops on the ground in Afghanistan.

“So everybody wants to see that situation more stable over the long term. Part of that equation is getting at the infiltration going both ways of Taliban terrorists along that border area.”●