US renews commitment to economic support for Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday renewed its commitment to support Pakistan's economic development with the State Department emphasizing that Washington's economic assistance for Islamabad continues to flow, irrespective of a slowdown in the security aid.

State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters that US Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides spoke by telephone with Pakistani Minister of Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

"They discussed the importance of continuing cooperation on the US- Pakistan civilian assistance program. And Deputy Secretary Nides reiterated to Minister Shaikh that the United States remains committed to working in partnership with Pakistan to fuel economic growth and to improve its energy, education and health sectors," Toner said at the daily briefing.

The spokesman, speaking days after US decision to pause $800 million in military assistance for Pakistan, stressed that it's "important to note that while there is this slowdown on the security and military side, our civilian assistance continues." He referred to Kerry-Lugar-Berman assistance program and said the US has dispersed about 2 billion dollars in civilian assistance, which includes over $ 550 million in emergency humanitarian assistance that was in response to the floods. "So, you know, we do have a slow down on the security side, but our civilian assistance remains undeterred."

The conversation between the US and Pakistani officials, he said, was an "important opportunity to touch base with Pakistan to ensure that this civilian assistance continues and to look at our priorities and make sure that they match Pakistan's.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011