October 22, 2001	Monday	Shaba'an 4, 1422

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

ISLAMABAD, Oct 21: The United States has said its concerns over nuclear proliferation, democracy and human rights will continue to be major foreign policy issues despite offering all-out economic support to Pakistan.

“Our concern over nuclear proliferation, democracy and human rights is not going to change,” said the visiting US under-secretary of state for economic, business and agricultural affairs, Alan P. Larson.

“The US is a country that has a global responsibility and we are going to be concerned about the weapons of mass destruction. We have to ensure global security. We will be interested in world economy and at the same time we are interested in promoting human rights and democratic values,” said .

He told reporters at the residence of US ambassador to Pakistan Wendy Chamberlin here on Sunday that his country wanted to improve political and economic relations both with India and Pakistan. “We want to have good relations with both the countries,” he said. However, he said that Washington valued its relations with Pakistan.

“It is important for Pakistan and the United States to make a break with past,” he advised when asked whether Washington will not once again abandon Pakistan after having achieved its objectives in Afghanistan. “For us Pakistan’s interest is very important because you have joined the world against terrorism,” he stated.

He told a reporter that he did not discuss with President Pervez Musharraf India-Pakistan’s relations with special reference to the current tension between them. “We only discussed economic issues.”

He said that his country was not only ensuring maximum economic support for Pakistan but also seeking similar support from its western allies, as well as Japan.