25 April 2004	Sunday	04 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

WASHINGTON, April 24: The United States has said our goal is a Pakistan that is secure, prosperous and a moderate democracy, contributing to growth and stability in the region.

"To achieve these goals, we are committed for a long term to broaden and deepen our relationship with Pakistan."

US Assistant Secretary of State, Ms Christina Rocca said this while delivering a speech before the faculty and students of the University of Pennsylvania.

She said Pakistan was helping the US to remove the threat of terrorism.

The United States has had a long and, at times, complicated relationship with Pakistan, she said.

"The Pakistani government recognizes that terrorists are as much a threat to the Pakistani people as to anyone. Pakistan has captured over 550 Al Qaeda operatives and Taliban remnants. Its security forces are continuing operations, taking casualties, against the Taliban and Al Qaeda along its border with Afghanistan, sometimes in the face of opposition from local residents."

She said: "Pakistan's cooperation in the global war on terror has had costs for the government of Pakistan and for the country's social fabric."

This year, Ms Rocca said, President Bush would be asking Congress to fund the first $600 million of a five-year $3 billion assistance initiative for Pakistan.

"These funds, and others already in train, will help Pakistan better prepare its forces for the fight against terrorism against narcotics smugglers and criminals."

"We also want to help Pakistanis. Consequently, we are financing 800 kilometres of roads, including in the tribal areas, refurbishing schools, establishing wells and looking at ways to bring fresh water to those who need it. We will, if the Congress agrees to fund the assistance plan, train 40,000 women federal, provincial and local councillors to legislate effectively. We will provide scholarships for mid-level civil servants and employees of NGOs to obtain advanced degrees in the US. We will launch teacher training programmes and youth and adult literacy programmes and promote development of an independent media."

"We are exploring establishing burn units in local clinics, which will treat victims of so-called honour crimes, and will work to improve governmental transparency."

She said: "President Musharraf has acted quickly and decisively to end the operations of A.Q. Khan's nuclear proliferation network. Dr Khan and his associates are now being questioned, and we, Pakistan and other allies, are using the information obtained to completely eradicate the network he created."

In respect of Pakistan and India seeking an end to conflict, Ms Rocca said the threat to regional stability resulting from differences between Islamabad and New Dehli has long been a focus of American diplomacy in South Asia.

The United States, she said, "has been single minded in working to turn our parallel improvement of relations with India and Pakistan into what Secretary Powell has called a triangle of conflict resolution".

Ms Rocca said: "Significant progress is being made by South Asian nations to remove the constraints of conflict and tensions and engage ever more actively with the new global economy."

"India is rapidly fulfilling its potential as one of the world's great economies, fuelled by the IT revolution. A stable and rebuilt Afghanistan is nearly ready to resume its historical place as a crossroads of trade between South Asia and Central Asia.

"An end to the conflicts in Nepal, Sri Lanka and between India and Pakistan could free the enormous human resources and creative energies that are the hallmarks of all countries in South Asia."-APP