SparklingCrescent
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Friday, January 08, 2010
ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador Anne W Patterson on Thursday, while terming the recent remarks of Indian Army chief silly, said India and Pakistan should address their issues bilaterally to ensure progress in both the countries.
In an interview to a private television channel, the US envoy said there was an enormous potential for economic progress if India and Pakistan got together. The countries have complementary markets and just the commercial implications of the good relations between them are enormous, she said.
Anne Patterson said if the Pakistan government has any evidence of Indias involvement in Balochistan, her country will be very keen to play a role in addressing the situation. She felt the immediate need for re-establishing the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan and resumption of confidence-building measures.
Appreciating the efforts of Pakistan Army in combating the terrorists in Swat and South Waziristan, the US envoy said Pakistan Army had pursued this war very courageously and they had rendered big sacrifices in it.
She said on the basis of tangible intelligence, the US authorities do believe that terrorists are leaving the region and are going to Yemen and Somalia. She expressed confidence in Pakistans government with regard to spending the KLBs assistance money for development of infrastructure in Fata and South Waziristan.
She also lauded the Benazir Income Support Programme, saying this programme was being appreciated by the comity of nations, adding there would be no harm if the money of the US assistance reaches the deserving people through this programme.
To a question, the American envoy said that withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan would be condition-based. We have to train and equip the Afghan security forces to replace the US and Nato troops before leaving the country, the ambassador said.
Commenting on the reports of presence of US security officials in Gwadar, the envoy said, they visited the area to advance the visit of aid directors to assess the projects being financed through the KLB.
She said there was no American in Pakistan without visa or proper documentation, adding some people were floating such speculations through the media simply to undermine the relationship of the two countries.
We do not have Blackwater in Pakistan and all information in this regard in foreign and local media is nonsense. Answering another question, the US ambassador said the most important thing that has happened in Pakistan is the election of the democratic government.
For us, it was a major success to have a democratic government in the country, she said and added her country would provide every possible assistance to strengthen the democratic institutions in Pakistan.
Patterson terms Indian Army chiefs remarks silly
ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador Anne W Patterson on Thursday, while terming the recent remarks of Indian Army chief silly, said India and Pakistan should address their issues bilaterally to ensure progress in both the countries.
In an interview to a private television channel, the US envoy said there was an enormous potential for economic progress if India and Pakistan got together. The countries have complementary markets and just the commercial implications of the good relations between them are enormous, she said.
Anne Patterson said if the Pakistan government has any evidence of Indias involvement in Balochistan, her country will be very keen to play a role in addressing the situation. She felt the immediate need for re-establishing the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan and resumption of confidence-building measures.
Appreciating the efforts of Pakistan Army in combating the terrorists in Swat and South Waziristan, the US envoy said Pakistan Army had pursued this war very courageously and they had rendered big sacrifices in it.
She said on the basis of tangible intelligence, the US authorities do believe that terrorists are leaving the region and are going to Yemen and Somalia. She expressed confidence in Pakistans government with regard to spending the KLBs assistance money for development of infrastructure in Fata and South Waziristan.
She also lauded the Benazir Income Support Programme, saying this programme was being appreciated by the comity of nations, adding there would be no harm if the money of the US assistance reaches the deserving people through this programme.
To a question, the American envoy said that withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan would be condition-based. We have to train and equip the Afghan security forces to replace the US and Nato troops before leaving the country, the ambassador said.
Commenting on the reports of presence of US security officials in Gwadar, the envoy said, they visited the area to advance the visit of aid directors to assess the projects being financed through the KLB.
She said there was no American in Pakistan without visa or proper documentation, adding some people were floating such speculations through the media simply to undermine the relationship of the two countries.
We do not have Blackwater in Pakistan and all information in this regard in foreign and local media is nonsense. Answering another question, the US ambassador said the most important thing that has happened in Pakistan is the election of the democratic government.
For us, it was a major success to have a democratic government in the country, she said and added her country would provide every possible assistance to strengthen the democratic institutions in Pakistan.
Patterson terms Indian Army chiefs remarks silly
