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Wendy Chamberlin confident of long term US-Pakistan ties
WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (APP): Advocating the importance of fostering wide-ranging and long-term relationship between the United States and Pakistan, former US ambassador to the country Wendy Chamberlin has voiced the confidence that the next American administration would sustain close ties with the South Asian ally.
Chamberlin, who served as Washingtons top diplomat in Pakistan from 2001-02, stated in a newspaper interview that the Pakistanis should be assured that US would not abandon them and that the US should extend assistance to cover a broad spectrum of relationship.
Questioned if the change in US administration after this years presidential election would affect Washingtons policy in any way toward the region she felt that all of the (presidential) candidates are committed to staying the course vis-a-vis US policy toward Pakistan and Afghanistan.
I dont think that our policy would change too greatly ---they (presidential candidates) all seem to be committed to staying the course in Afghanistan and into improving stability in Pakistan - so Im confident that we will not abandon Pakistan, she told The Daily Evergreen.
She said the US assistance should significantly expand to education, democracy and health areas for socio-economic uplift of the people. Commenting on security issues, she said the US is working with Pakistan to address al-Qaeda and the Taliban threat along Pakistan-Afghanistan border region.
Chamberlin, who heads Washington-based think tank The Middle East Institute, reaffirmed confidence in the security of Pakistani nuclear assets, ruling out any chances of their falling into wrong hands in the transition period.
I dont think so (that assets will fall into hands of militants) - the Pakistan Army is very professional, it is disciplined and it is in control and it has control of those nuclear warheads --- I am simply not worried at this time, the threat that Pakistan in an election will fall to a militant jehadist party that will take over the government is very small, almost non-existent --- this is not Iran of 1979, she said in response to a question.
On democratic progress in the country, she explained Pakistan is currently in a transition period, will have elections on February 18 for a new parliament that will pick up a new prime minister and the country is gradually returning to civilian democracy.
WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (APP): Advocating the importance of fostering wide-ranging and long-term relationship between the United States and Pakistan, former US ambassador to the country Wendy Chamberlin has voiced the confidence that the next American administration would sustain close ties with the South Asian ally.
Chamberlin, who served as Washingtons top diplomat in Pakistan from 2001-02, stated in a newspaper interview that the Pakistanis should be assured that US would not abandon them and that the US should extend assistance to cover a broad spectrum of relationship.
Questioned if the change in US administration after this years presidential election would affect Washingtons policy in any way toward the region she felt that all of the (presidential) candidates are committed to staying the course vis-a-vis US policy toward Pakistan and Afghanistan.
I dont think that our policy would change too greatly ---they (presidential candidates) all seem to be committed to staying the course in Afghanistan and into improving stability in Pakistan - so Im confident that we will not abandon Pakistan, she told The Daily Evergreen.
She said the US assistance should significantly expand to education, democracy and health areas for socio-economic uplift of the people. Commenting on security issues, she said the US is working with Pakistan to address al-Qaeda and the Taliban threat along Pakistan-Afghanistan border region.
Chamberlin, who heads Washington-based think tank The Middle East Institute, reaffirmed confidence in the security of Pakistani nuclear assets, ruling out any chances of their falling into wrong hands in the transition period.
I dont think so (that assets will fall into hands of militants) - the Pakistan Army is very professional, it is disciplined and it is in control and it has control of those nuclear warheads --- I am simply not worried at this time, the threat that Pakistan in an election will fall to a militant jehadist party that will take over the government is very small, almost non-existent --- this is not Iran of 1979, she said in response to a question.
On democratic progress in the country, she explained Pakistan is currently in a transition period, will have elections on February 18 for a new parliament that will pick up a new prime minister and the country is gradually returning to civilian democracy.
