The Hindu : U.S. reaffirms desire for closer ties with Pak.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 17, 2002

International

International

U.S. reaffirms desire for closer ties with Pak.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Dec. 16. The visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Christina Rocca today talked about the U.S. desire to strengthen and expand relations with Pakistan in diverse fields, particularly in the economic and commercial fields.

Ms. Rocca, who is on a two-day visit for discussions on a wide range of issues with the new government headed by Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, had a three-hour-long interaction with the Pakistani delegation led by the Foreign Secretary, Riaz Khokar. Later she was received by the Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, at the Foreign Office.

Expectations in Pakistan on help from U.S., as a quid pro quo for Islamabad's help in the fight against terrorism, are high. A section of the Pakistan media has been open in its disappointment over the subject. One editorial in an English daily described the U.S. assistance to Pakistan as `peanuts'.

An official statement on the meeting quoted Ms. Rocca as saying that the United States was focused on building a long-term and broad-based relationship with Pakistan. It said she was deeply appreciative of the important cooperation of the Pakistan Government in the global war against terrorism.

The visit has been billed on both the sides as part of the new initiative by Washington to engage Islamabad on a long-term relationship independent of geo-strategic considerations. Since it is her visit to Pakistan after the October 10 general election and the changed political realities, particularly emergence of religious parties in the Frontier and Baluchistan, it would provide Ms. Rocca an opportunity for a face-to-face dialogue with the new players.

Indications are that Ms. Rocca would use the opportunity to meet leaders of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), an alliance of six religious parties that emerged as the third political force in the recent general election on an anti-American platform. She is scheduled to call on the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf and the Prime Minister tomorrow. The U.S. has reasons to be concerned about the anti-American rhetoric of the MMA leaders though the Jamali Government has repeatedly assured it of continued Pakistan co-operation in the war against terrorism.

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