US not to leave Pakistan in hour of trial: Rice
Pakistan grateful to US, other states assistance: PM Shaukat
Wednesday October 12, 2005 (1502 PST)
ISLAMABAD, October 13 (Online): US secretary of state Condoleeza Rice has said Pakistan is trusted friend of US and Washington will not leave Islamabad alone in this hour of grief and provide full assistance for rehabilitation and reconstruction of earthquake stricken areas.
She said this while talking to the journalists after meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz here Wednesday. Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri was also present on the occasion.
Condoleeza Rice citing to her meeting with President general Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said her meeting with both of them remained very positive. " I have expressed my grief with Pakistani leadership over the colossal loss of life and property caused by the earthquake in Pakistan and AJK. US stands by Pakistani brethren in this hour of trial", she added.
She underlined that people of Pakistan are facing calamity. Pakistan and US are close allies and their friendship is time tested. People of US are very keen to extend help to people of Pakistan. Besides financial assistance for rehabilitation of quake affectees, the US have provided helicopter for rescue and logistic support to Pakistan, she informed.
" I fully assure people of Pakistan from US government that we stand beside them in this hour of crisis", she reaffirmed. There is urgent need to dispatch tents, blankets, medicines and eatables to affected areas, she underlined. Reconstruction is also a vital issue and US will play pivotal role in the reconstruction process , she assured. International community will also be appealed for assistance, she underscored. " We will not only today but also always stand beside Pakistan in hour of trial and crisis.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday has said Islamabad is grateful to US and other world states extended financial and technical assistance for the rescue and rehabilitation of quake affectees.
"The US is a close ally of Pakistan and we keep US aid assistance in high esteem and the international financial assistance to Pakistan has touched the figure of $350 million," Shaukat Aziz expressed these views in his brief chat with media-people after his meeting with the US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice who called on him at Prime Minister's House Wednesday.
Referring to US secretary of State's Pakistan visit, the Prime Minister informed that Condoleezza came here to offer condolences over those who died in massive quake.
"Every time the US has extended unflinching support and cooperation when Pakistan faced any crisis of mayhem like situations," Aziz said adding that US has assured more logistic support and relief goods while its helicopters were earlier engaged in shifting injured of quake.
The US has assured to send more helicopters and special teams to take part in rescue operation and help opened the roads leading to Azad Kashmir so as to rehabilitate affectees ahead of chilly weather, he added.
The Japanese senior deputy foreign minister too, he said had assured additional assistance with sending more helicopters. He went on to say that assistance from international community was arriving, which had been distributed among affectees.
He noted that decision had been taken to establish rehabilitation authority centre in the National Security Council (NSC) adding that a comprehensive strategy would soon be announced to construct new city in Azad Kashmir.
Additional two division army has been dispatched to Azad Kashmir and Mansehra to step up relief activities in affected areas, he said adding that almost 50 percent power and telephone supply in Muzaffarabad had been restored.
He hailed the opposition for playing constructive role to deal with after affects of earthquake calamities saying that at least 40 helicopters were taking part in rescue operation.
When asked whether Pakistan would accept any kind of aid from Israel, the premier underlined that presently aid and assistance from any country would be welcomed.
Rice assures more US financial, technical assistance to Pakistan
Expressing heartfelt condolences on behalf of her government and American people over the loss of lives and damages by the earthquake that rocked parts of Pakistan, US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice in her meeting with President and Prime Minister assured her government would extend all out financial and technical support to Pakistan at this critical hour.
In her separate meetings here Wednesday with President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, US secretary of state has reiterated that she, her government and the people of her country had been shocked to know about the earthquake, which claimed thousands of lives.
In her meeting with Musharraf, Rice conveyed President Bush's message to the President of Pakistan saying that the US President would extend every kind of assistance to Pakistan.
Soon after listening about the tragic earthquake that jolted parts of AJK, NA and NWFP, she said the US government forthwith dispatched helicopters and other relief materials to evacuate people trapped under the rubble.
Expressing grief over the quake catastrophe and thanking US government's support at this critical juncture, President Musharraf informed his guest that the government of Pakistan has initiated a gigantic and stringent rescue operation to rehabilitate the quake affectees on emergency basis. The Pakistan army in active participation of civilian organizations was busy carrying out relief operations in parts of affected areas.
"We are also thankful of world community of its quick response," Musharraf underscored.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in his meeting with Rice thanked the US government support saying that Pakistan wanted technical assistance instead of financial aid and "we will hail other countries assistance as well in this connection."
Ms Rice held out her assurance to the premier that US being a strategic partner of Pakistan will play a proactive role in rescue efforts and later in rehabilitation of earthquake victims.
End. Source
Pakistan grateful to US, other states assistance: PM Shaukat
Wednesday October 12, 2005 (1502 PST)
ISLAMABAD, October 13 (Online): US secretary of state Condoleeza Rice has said Pakistan is trusted friend of US and Washington will not leave Islamabad alone in this hour of grief and provide full assistance for rehabilitation and reconstruction of earthquake stricken areas.
She said this while talking to the journalists after meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz here Wednesday. Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri was also present on the occasion.
Condoleeza Rice citing to her meeting with President general Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said her meeting with both of them remained very positive. " I have expressed my grief with Pakistani leadership over the colossal loss of life and property caused by the earthquake in Pakistan and AJK. US stands by Pakistani brethren in this hour of trial", she added.
She underlined that people of Pakistan are facing calamity. Pakistan and US are close allies and their friendship is time tested. People of US are very keen to extend help to people of Pakistan. Besides financial assistance for rehabilitation of quake affectees, the US have provided helicopter for rescue and logistic support to Pakistan, she informed.
" I fully assure people of Pakistan from US government that we stand beside them in this hour of crisis", she reaffirmed. There is urgent need to dispatch tents, blankets, medicines and eatables to affected areas, she underlined. Reconstruction is also a vital issue and US will play pivotal role in the reconstruction process , she assured. International community will also be appealed for assistance, she underscored. " We will not only today but also always stand beside Pakistan in hour of trial and crisis.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday has said Islamabad is grateful to US and other world states extended financial and technical assistance for the rescue and rehabilitation of quake affectees.
"The US is a close ally of Pakistan and we keep US aid assistance in high esteem and the international financial assistance to Pakistan has touched the figure of $350 million," Shaukat Aziz expressed these views in his brief chat with media-people after his meeting with the US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice who called on him at Prime Minister's House Wednesday.
Referring to US secretary of State's Pakistan visit, the Prime Minister informed that Condoleezza came here to offer condolences over those who died in massive quake.
"Every time the US has extended unflinching support and cooperation when Pakistan faced any crisis of mayhem like situations," Aziz said adding that US has assured more logistic support and relief goods while its helicopters were earlier engaged in shifting injured of quake.
The US has assured to send more helicopters and special teams to take part in rescue operation and help opened the roads leading to Azad Kashmir so as to rehabilitate affectees ahead of chilly weather, he added.
The Japanese senior deputy foreign minister too, he said had assured additional assistance with sending more helicopters. He went on to say that assistance from international community was arriving, which had been distributed among affectees.
He noted that decision had been taken to establish rehabilitation authority centre in the National Security Council (NSC) adding that a comprehensive strategy would soon be announced to construct new city in Azad Kashmir.
Additional two division army has been dispatched to Azad Kashmir and Mansehra to step up relief activities in affected areas, he said adding that almost 50 percent power and telephone supply in Muzaffarabad had been restored.
He hailed the opposition for playing constructive role to deal with after affects of earthquake calamities saying that at least 40 helicopters were taking part in rescue operation.
When asked whether Pakistan would accept any kind of aid from Israel, the premier underlined that presently aid and assistance from any country would be welcomed.
Rice assures more US financial, technical assistance to Pakistan
Expressing heartfelt condolences on behalf of her government and American people over the loss of lives and damages by the earthquake that rocked parts of Pakistan, US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice in her meeting with President and Prime Minister assured her government would extend all out financial and technical support to Pakistan at this critical hour.
In her separate meetings here Wednesday with President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, US secretary of state has reiterated that she, her government and the people of her country had been shocked to know about the earthquake, which claimed thousands of lives.
In her meeting with Musharraf, Rice conveyed President Bush's message to the President of Pakistan saying that the US President would extend every kind of assistance to Pakistan.
Soon after listening about the tragic earthquake that jolted parts of AJK, NA and NWFP, she said the US government forthwith dispatched helicopters and other relief materials to evacuate people trapped under the rubble.
Expressing grief over the quake catastrophe and thanking US government's support at this critical juncture, President Musharraf informed his guest that the government of Pakistan has initiated a gigantic and stringent rescue operation to rehabilitate the quake affectees on emergency basis. The Pakistan army in active participation of civilian organizations was busy carrying out relief operations in parts of affected areas.
"We are also thankful of world community of its quick response," Musharraf underscored.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in his meeting with Rice thanked the US government support saying that Pakistan wanted technical assistance instead of financial aid and "we will hail other countries assistance as well in this connection."
Ms Rice held out her assurance to the premier that US being a strategic partner of Pakistan will play a proactive role in rescue efforts and later in rehabilitation of earthquake victims.
End. Source