News
Saturday, November 05, 2011
Economic help for Pakistan a must: Clinton* US secretary of state urges says reconciliation in Afghanistan best hope for stability in region
WASHINGTON: Advocating a strong linkage between lasting security and economic opportunity, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged Congressional support for continued economic assistance for both Pakistan and Afghanistan and noted that reconciliation in Afghanistan offers the best hope for stability in the region.
In a status report on Pakistan Civilian Engagement and Afghanistan, submitted to Congress, the chief American diplomat said that assisting the two allied countries would secure American interests in the region.
“We will continue supporting an Afghan-led peace process that meets our red-lines. This won’t be easy, but reconciliation is still possible and is the best hope for peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region,” Clinton said in a statement on release of the report.
“We will continue to build capacity and opportunity in Pakistan, Afghanistan and across the region, because lasting stability and security go hand in hand with greater economic opportunity,” she added.
She told the lawmakers that the civilian surge in Pakistan and Afghanistan that President Obama launched in 2009 to accompany the military surge in Afghanistan has helped advance American goals of defeating al Qaeda, reversing the Taliban’s momentum in key areas, and bolstering the economy and civil society of both countries.
“As US troops begin a phased drawdown in Afghanistan as part of the larger plan for transition, our civilian initiatives in both Pakistan and Afghanistan are assuming new importance.”
The State Department report said that relationship with Islamabad ‘was not always easy, but it was vital to US national security and regional interests.
The report said that the US had reached its “high water mark” for civilian funding and the government in Kabul must move toward establishing revenue sources. The report said that the US would build a foundation for the Afghans to assume responsibility for their future.
The report provides a thorough review of our civilian efforts, identifies significant challenges and areas of progress, and outlines the way forward.
It places the work of our diplomats, development experts, and other civilian specialists within the framework of the “fight, talk, build” strategy.
“We will continue the fight, as coalition and Afghan forces increase the pressure on the Taliban, the Haqqani network, and other insurgents.”
In Pakistan, it means leveraging the resources provided by the landmark Kerry-Lugar-Berman legislation to address major economic challenges that threaten Pakistan’s stability, Clinton remarked. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk