Gilani urges US to adopt balanced approach towards South Asia

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday called upon the United States to ensure a balanced approach towards the South Asian region and adopt a non- discriminatory policy for Pakistan and India.

Talking to US Congressional delegation led by Senator Robert Corker at the PM House, the Prime Minister said this would greatly help build the US image and its perception among the people of Pakistan.

The Prime Minister recalled that the Obama administration had disappointed Pakistani people by dropping the idea of appointing former President Bill Clinton as special envoy to help resolve the festering Kashmir issue. He said instead Pakistan was clubbed with Afghanistan under the Af-Pak policy.

On Raymond Davis issue, Gilani welcomed the positive messages emanating from both Pakistan and the US and said that the two sides must continue building strategic relationship going beyond this incident.

The Prime Minister noted that the US projects funded under the Kerry-Lugar assistance were now at the implementation stage. He said this assistance should focus on the major projects having a positive impact on the lives and livelihood of the people of Pakistan.

He also stressed that the good work done in the past three years should foster the bilateral ties in multi-faceted fields under the sectoral arrangements of strategic partnership. These strong ties, he said, must not be affected by any single incident and both the US and Pakistan through their intensified and concerted efforts should aim for taking these important bilateral relations to a higher level.

Dilating upon Pakistan's unmatched sacrifices in human and economic terms in the war against terror, the Prime Minister reiterated his government's resolve to remain focused on the mutually shared objectives of defeating the terrorists and extremists as well as restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

He hoped that the US side would also remain focused on these cherished objectives and would not allow any irritant to distract them.

The US Senators termed Pakistan as one of the greatest nations, which were playing enormous role on the frontline of war against terror.

They acknowledged the great sacrifices which Pakistan had made despite its own difficulties for the safety and security of the world at large.

They agreed with the Prime Minister that positive messaging would help establish trust and confidence between the two countries and no single incident should hamper the strong bilateral relations Between the two countries. They appreciated the Prime Minister's role and personal investment in normalization of his country's relations with its neighbours and his political acumen to build the national consensus in true spirit of democratic norms.

While agreeing with the Prime Minister on the imperative of socio-economic development which should have a direct effect on the people, particularly in the backward areas, they assured him that the US would remain committed to play its part in the progress and prosperity of Pakistan and would deliver on its pledges for economic and security assistance.

The US Congressional delegation included Senator Robert Corker, Senator Bernad Sanders, Senator Joseph Manchin III and Senator Christopher Coons. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mrs Hina Rabbani Khar, US Ambassador in Pakistan Cameron Munter, Senator Syeda Sughra Imam, secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Defence and other senior officials were also present in the meeting.