ISLAMABAD, Nov 25: Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan has said that changes in the US State Department will not affect Pakistan-US relations, which will rather strengthen in days to come.
Pakistan had no reservations on whatever changes were being made in the department, the spokesman told the Voice of America radio. He said efforts had been made during the last four or five years to put US-Pakistan relations on new foundations and success had been achieved in that regard.
"If we look into 1990s, the US had imposed different military and economic sanctions on Pakistan," he said and added that during the last four years the sanctions were lifted and a new foundation was laid for a long-term relationship between the two countries.
Replying to a question, he said the debate on the policy of the Democrats' towards Pakistan was no longer relevant after the US election. He said Pakistan and the US understood that their relations should not be confined to the ongoing cooperation regarding in war on terrorism and that there should be a framework in the economic, trade, defence, political and strategic fields where both the countries could put their relations on strong foundations.
In reply to a question, he said Pakistan had worked with the US secretary of state designate, Condoleeza Rice, as she was the national security advisor of her country.
He said there is no doubt that the US was a superpower and Pakistan an important regional power, which was accepted as a pivotal state at the international level, so it was in the interest of both the countries to continue strengthening their relations.
Responding to a question, he said this time Pakistan had established its relations with the US without requesting any aid. An economic forum exists between the two countries and a trade and investment framework agreement had been signed, he said.
He said a mechanism existed for terrorism and law-enforcement under the 'defence consultative group'. The US had granted the status of a major Non-Nato ally to Pakistan, he said.
The spokesman said the US was interested in peace and stability and it had made efforts, behind the scenes, for continuation of talks between Pakistan and India for the resolution of Kashmir dispute. He said Pakistan-US cooperation was necessary for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, to end the influence of warlords and to stop drug trafficking. -APP
