Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Pakistani PM opposes conditions for US aid, drone attacks

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, April 13,IRNA -- Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Monday urged US not to attach conditionalties to assistance package being presented to US Congress, as aid with strings attached would fail to generate the desired goodwill and results in Pakistan.

Reports suggest that the US has put several conditions with the approval of aid that include allowing US investigators to have access to the nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadir Khan.

“The strategic and multifaceted partnership of the two countries should be based on mutual respect and mutual trust and both sides should work together to reduce the trust deficit which was harming rather than further strengthening the bilateral ties,” Prime Minister Gilani said.

He was talking to Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee who called on him along with his delegation, at the Prime Minister’s House.

He stressed that the US drone attacks and consequent collateral damage, however, were impeding his Government’s efforts in this regard. The Prime Minister also pointed out that the negative message emanating from the US and the West was generating ill will.

The Prime Minister urged the Senator that the US Government must take this fact into account that Pakistan cannot ignore its eastern border and hence should play a role in resolving all outstanding issues including the core issue of Kashmir between Pakistan and India so that Pakistan can focus entirely on the western front.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed that Pakistan is a victim of militancy and terrorism and would continue to act as bulwark in eradicating this menace in its own interest as well as in the interest of the world at large.

Senator John Kerry informed the Prime Minister that he and his colleagues in the US Senate were working with the House of Representatives for the passage of the legislation for providing Pakistan the much-needed economic and military assistance package.

Senator Kerry was hopeful that Pakistan’s concerns would be fully accommodated in the final version of the legislation.

He said that the US wanted to build its long term relationship with Pakistan beyond the issue of terrorism.