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US says will release fund under CSF soon
ISLAMABAD: The United States is validating the claims of $2.1 billion submitted by Pakistan for year 2009 under Coalition Support Fund (CSF) and assured to release the funds at the earliest.“The US has paid dollars 350 million to Pakistan two weeks ago, as last instalment completing all the validated claims provided by government of Pakistan for the year 2008 under CSF,” said General M Feierstein, Deputy Chief of Mission US embassy here on Wednesday while talking to a local news agency.
He said so far all the claims under CSF for 2008 amounting to $1.1 billion has been cleared by the US administration. He said the claims for 2009 amounting to $2.1 billion are on the table and are being scrutinised and evaluated by the US auditors and expressed the hope that after completing the process, funds would be released as soon as possible.
Referring to the delay in the disbursement of the funds of CSF, the US Deputy Chief of the Mission said, it was delayed due to visa issue to the US staff, being engaged to check the claims submitted by Pakistan.
He said, “We have now people in office and started the process of validation of the claims and assure to complete the process as quickly as we can.” He said Pakistani authorities have assured to resolve the issue of visa to the US government officials and visa are being issued but still “it has not been completely resolved”. He said still the demand has not been accepted as required by the US.
Rejecting the perception that US wanted to bring Blackwater people to Pakistan under the visa for auditors, he said, these are purely government officials being engaged in the embassy.
Replying to a question, he said, about 100 to 200 government officials still waiting visa to visit Pakistan so that the process of validation of the claims submitted under CSF could be expedited. He rejected that the figure of these officials is in thousands.
On the Pak-US relations, he said, “there is significant improvement in these relations”.
Referring to visit of a number of US officials to Pakistan in last two years, he said, it clearly indicate that there has been high level dialogue and contact between the two countries.
He said there has been enormous increase in the military to military relationship between the two countries. He said both Pakistan and US are very close partners in the fight against militants both in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He said this relationship is moving forward very substantially.
He, however said, there are issues and there has been discussion on these issues but they should not be detract overall forward momentum in the bilateral relations.
The Deputy Chief of US Mission said the return of civilian government in Pakistan is very important to US. He said, “We believe that for future security and stability of Pakistan and for our strong partnership, stable and democratically elected government in Pakistan is important component.”
He said, “Civilian government is very significant for Pakistan’s economic and social development as it gives level of confidence and help in identifying the needs and requirements of the people.”
Courtesy www.Geo.tv