News
Friday, September 24, 2010
New US envoy vows to hit Pak mistrust head-on
WASHINGTON: The nominee to be the next US ambassador to Pakistan on Thursday pledged “ceaseless engagement” to combat the country’s anti-Americanism, saying Washington needed to do a better job explaining its motives. Veteran diplomat Cameron Munter, said the US should pursue a long-term commitment to help Pakistan fight Islamic extremism and recover from devastating floods. But in his confirmation hearing before the Senate, Munter said that US officials needed to be better listeners and “build a lasting relationship with Pakistani counterparts based on honesty and mutual respect”. “Let’s be honest about this. We need to overcome historical scepticism among Pakistanis about American motives in South Asia, and this will require ceaseless engagement, energy and outreach,” Munter said. afp
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk