Negroponte Meets Gillani: Pakistan to Expand Strategic Ties with USA
By Aziz Malik ‘Pakistan Times’ Federal Bureau Chief

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani on Wednesday said that Pakistan accords high priority to its strategic relationship with the United States and desires to further expand the relations in all the fields.

He mentioned that US President George W. Bush had called him Tuesday, assuring Washington’s full support to Pakistan in every sphere of life.

The Prime Minister was talking to US Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte who called on him here at the Prime Minister House Wednesday evening.

US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher also attended the meeting.

While reiterating Pakistan’s firm resolve to address the issue of terrorism, the Prime Minister said the world community has to do more in order to develop a collective approach.

Pakistan, he said, has been consistently fighting this menace and sacrificed a lot including assassination of its leader Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

The Prime Minister said that the government is determined to fight terrorism in all its forms democratically, economically and strategically. “This is also a matter of concern for us and we would confront it with complete determination”, he added.

While talking about the recent elections the Prime Minister said that the people of Pakistan have given a clear mandate in favour of the moderate and democratic forces in the country.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to take all possible measures to resolve the problems of the people and come up to their expectations.

The Prime Minister further said that parliament is a sovereign body and every effort will be made to ensure its supremacy. He said that all important policy matters and decisions on important national issues would be taken through the parliament.

He said that government would soon be announcing its 100-day programme through which the challenges confronting the people would be addressed on priority basis.

He said that the top most agenda before the government is to strengthen all the institutions including development of free and vibrant media and independent Election Commission.

The Prime Minister said that economic empowerment of the people in bordering areas near Afghanistan is the key to address the issue of extremism in that region.

He expressed the confidence that the establishment of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) would help increase economic activities in the area as well as creating new opportunities to improve the standard of living of the people.

While discussing the situation in Afghanistan, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan desires Afghanistan to grow and prosper because a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan and the region.

He also referred to his telephonic conversation with the President of Afghanistan and the Prime Minister of India during which they re-affirmed desire for establishing better relations in the interest of regional peace and prosperity.

Negroponte congratulated the Prime Minister on assuming the office and assured US complete support to the new government. He expressed the confidence that democracy in Pakistan would take roots and lead towards progress and prosperity of the country.

While appreciating Pakistan’s efforts in curtailing extremism and terrorism, he said that the US relations with Pakistan and its people are very important and expressed US desire for developing a stable and multi-faceted relationship with Pakistan which is not restricted to the war on terrorism alone.

Foreign Secretary and senior government officials also attended the meeting.●