Pak. pleased with Bush victory

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, DEC. 15. Pakistan is pleased with the election of the Republican candidate, Mr. George W. Bush, as the new President of the United States.

The general perception in Pakistan, in the establishment as well as among the intelligentsia, is that a Republican at the helm of affairs in the U.S. has helped Pakistan better than a Democratic candidate. This perception is perhaps based on the past experience. The recent high in the Indo-U.S. relations and relegation of Pakistan from the position of a trusted ally to just another country during the second tenure of Mr. Bill Clinton has only helped strengthen this perception.

The Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the President, Mr. Rafiq Tarar, and the Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, warmly greeted Mr. Bush, and said they looked forward to working with the new U.S. administration for peace in South Asia.

The preference of Pakistani intelligentsia for the Republican candidate was evident a day after the Nov. 7 election.

In the mock polling for a select group of people conducted by the American Center in Islamabad, Mr. Bush won hands down over his Democratic rival, Mr. Al Gore.

This prompted the American Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. William B. Milam, to make a few comments on the future of Pakistan-U.S. relations in the post-Clinton era. He told the gathering that irrespective of who wins the election, the U.S. policy towards Pakistan would remain the same.

Mr. Milam had said that he was aware of the general perception in Pakistan that Republican party candidates were friendlier towards Pakistan. ``But this is an outdated perception. The broad outline of the U.S. policy towards South Asia and, particularly Pakistan, would remain unchanged, no matter who is elected as the next President of the United States'', he had remarked.

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Section  : International
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