US diplomats visits Peshawar, Khyber Agency
'Pakistan Times' NWFP Bureau

PESHAWAR: The visiting US diplomats here Wednesday visited the provincial capital and adjoining Khyber Agency to apprise themselves about the US funded uplift projects to boost security and development in this part of the region.

Deputy Secretary of State, Mr.John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher held talks with officials responsible for the tribal areas near the Afghan Border in Khyber Agency.

They visited the security and development sites and held talks with officials on various issues of mutual interests. The top US diplomat met with tribal leaders and commanders of law enforcing agencies to discuss with them matters of mutual interests.

Later, they also called on the NWFP Governor Awais Ahmed Ghani at Governor House and remained there for sometime, official sources said. They discussed matters of mutual interests.

Meanwhile US Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher have hailed the role of Pakistan in the war on terror and said that US wanted to see Pakistan a democratic and prosperous country.

They expressed these views while talking to tribal elders of Khyber Agency during their visit to Landi Kotal, the Agency headquarters this morning. They said that the United States would extend every support to Pakistan in the days to come.

The visiting dignitaries also expressed the confidence that the tribesmen would always uphold their traditions and would not allow elements of terror to operate from their areas.

Earlier, on the representation of the tribesmen of Khyber Agency, prominent tribal elder Malik Darya Khan Afridi told the visiting US guests that the people of tribal areas are peace loving especially living in Khyber Agency and that was why peace in this agency remained exemplary.

On arrival at Landi Kotal, prominent tribal elders of the agency, Political Agent, Assistant Political Agent and other high ranking officers received the dignitaries.

Visit's Objective

Khalida Mazhar 'Pakistan Times' US Bureau Chief adds from Washington; Hailing Pakistan’s recent progress on the pathway to democracy, the United States has said its top diplomats are visiting the South Asian country to engage with the new Pakistani leadership on issues of common interest.

“It’s an opportunity for us to engage at a very senior level with a new Pakistani government as they are making this transition, another transition to a new phase of their democracy,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said when asked about US deputy secretary of state John Negroponte’s current visit to Pakistan.

Assistant Secretary for South Asia Richard Boucher is also accompanying the senior official and the two officials met with senior Pakistani political leaders in Islamabad.

McCormack said the Pakistanis are recently coming out of a period of time in which there was a diversion from the pathway of democracy.

“We welcome the fact that they are now back on that pathway to democracy, that they have held elections in which the Pakistani people can have confidence. There is now a new prime minister. There will be a new government. We look forward to working with that new government as well as President Musharraf going forward,” he told reporters at the daily briefing.
However, McCormack stressed that it is for Pakistanis to decide on their internal matters.

“How the Pakistanis decide to arrange themselves vis-a-vis power sharing, who has what authorities, who has what responsibilities, that is going to be for them to decide.”

The Pakistani people, he said, have spoken via an election. “It is now up to their political leaders on the basis of the results in that election and within the confines of their law and constitution to form a government, to put out a platform for that government and to work together in the best interests of Pakistan.”

Reiterating Washington’s position that the United States and Pakistan have some overlapping interests he said “fundamentally, we would like to see a Pakistan that broadens and deepens its economic and political reform.

“We think that’s good for Pakistan, we think it’s good for the region and we think it’s good for our interests, as well. We think that that and fighting violent extremism are inextricably linked.”

He said the “long-term hedge against the expansion of violent extremists and terrorists in the region and in Pakistan is the broadening and deepening of these economic and political reforms.”

“That said, you also are going to have to address some of these individuals via security measures, and we are working with the Pakistani government on that,” he added.

In response to a question, he said, President Musharraf has been a good ally in the fight against terrorism and said the US would work with the new government as well as with him.

“He (Musharraf) has been a good friend of the United States during this period of—from 2001 moving forward. He is the president of Pakistan. We will work with him as well as this new government.”●