News
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Zardari, Biden discuss strategic ties, regional security
* President calls for strengthening bilateral ties with US
* Says Pakistan committed to fighting ‘terrorists of all hue’
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has called for a close, stable, long-term and broad based relationship between Pakistan and the United States for promoting peace, stability and progress in the region.
Talking to US Vice President Joe Biden at the Presidency on Wednesday, the president said that Pakistan was committed to fighting terrorism and underlined the need for support and understanding of the international community in this effort.
Bilateral matters, Pakistan’s fight against militancy, transfer of drone technology, poverty alleviation and regional situation came under discussion during the meeting that lasted for about an hour in a very cordial atmosphere.
Briefing the media, president’s spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, quoted the president as saying that Pakistan was committed to fighting and defeating extremists and terrorists of all hue and the fight against them would continue until the complete eradication of this menace. The president said that a handful of militants and extremists would never be allowed to impose their vicious agenda on the people of Pakistan.
Talking about the drone attacks, President Zardari said that it undermined the national consensus against the war on militancy and reiterated Pakistan’s call for transfer of drone technology to it for use by its own security forces against the terrorists.
The president spoke of his vision to take the country forward and the efforts to put it on a sound economic footing. He said it was Pakistan’s security imperative to curb violent extremism, adding the country needed international support to implement a comprehensive strategy to fight militancy that also laid emphasis on economic development and job creation.
The president also acknowledged Biden’s efforts and support for democracy and for supporting socio-economic development of the country as an integral part of the fighting militancy.
President Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s call for the establishment of reconstruction opportunity zones in the country and an early adoption of legislation in the US in this regard. He also urged the US to use its influence on the international community for providing enhanced market access to Pakistan.
The president welcomed the setting up of an energy task force and expressed the hope that Pakistan’s energy issues would be addressed in a timely and focused manner to overcome power crisis in the country.
The president thanked US Vice President Biden for his government’s consistent support in rehabilitation of the last year’s flood victims. He urged for continued US support for in the reconstruction and rehabilitation phase as well. Appreciating Pakistan’s fight against terrorists, the US vice president reiterated Washington’s support to democracy in Pakistan. He assured that the US administration would support Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen democracy, countering terrorism and in meeting its developmental needs and capacity building.
The US vice president was accompanied by his national security adviser Anthony J Blinken, William Burns, Herro Mustafa and Allison Melia. US Ambassador in Islamabad Cameroon Munter and Acting US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Frank Ruggiero, Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoon Amin Fahim, Minister for Defence Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and others attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Biden also met Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and discussed with him matters of mutual interest.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk