WASHINGTON, Nov 4: US under-secretary of state for economic, business, and agricultural affairs will be discussing debt and textile issues with Pakistani officials when he arrives in Islamabad on Wednesday.

Alan P. Larson will also meet President Musharraf besides discussing “bilateral economic relations” with Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and his team in Islamabad, a State Department official told Dawn on Monday.

Pakistan has asked the US to open up its market for its textile products as part of a package Washington is offering to help stabilize the Pakistani economy.

Although Washington has accepted the request, it is reluctant to offer unfettered access to Pakistani products because of resistance from the powerful cotton growers in the southern US.

Washington also has offered to help Pakistan deal with its massive debt problem in return for its support to the US forces fighting Al Qaeda and Taliban networks in Afghanistan.

Some reports have suggested that Larson may discuss a $600 million financial package with the Pakistani officials similar to the one US committed last year.

A State Department spokesman said Larson left Washington on Friday for a visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

In Afghanistan he met President Hamid Karzai and his finance minister and “discussed Afghan reconstruction, and the Afghan operating budget.” “In Pakistan he will meet President Pervez Musharraf and Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and discuss US-Pakistan bilateral economic relationship including debt and textile issues,” the spokesman added.

In India, the spokesman said, Larson will meet the officials from the prime minister’s office and the ministry of external affairs and “advance the US-Indian economic dialogue with discussions on biotechnology and intellectual property right.”