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| June 16, 2005 | Thursday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 8, 1426 |
Rocca says F-16s a ‘clear signal’ of US commitment
WASHINGTON, June 15: US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca has said that Washington’s decision to sell F-16 fighter jets to Islamabad sends a clear signal of its determination to stand by Pakistan’s legitimate defence needs. Testifying before the US House International Relations Sub-committee on Asia, Ms Rocca ruled out a possibility that the sale would upset the current regional military balance or lead to an arms race and added that “it only shows our commitment to help Pakistan in its long haul”.
She contended that giving F-16s to Pakistan would only make it more secure to take steps to build a lasting peace with all its neighbours. She also made it clear that the centrepiece of the US commitment to a long-term relationship with Pakistan was President Bush’s pledge to work with the US Congress to provide Pakistan with $3 billion in military and economic assistance from 2005 to 2009.
“This security assistance will bolster Pakistan’s capabilities to fight the war on terror, including neutralizing Al Qaeda remnants in the tribal areas, as well as meet its military needs.
“Our economic assistance would also support Pakistan’s efforts to tackle the root causes of extremism and help it alleviate poverty through development,” Ms Rocca said.
Brushing aside criticism about Pakistan being run by a coup leader paying inadequate attention to nuclear proliferation, Ms Rocca said that Islamabad had taken necessary steps to make itself a key ally in the war on terrorism.
“Over the past three years, Pakistan’s leaders have taken the steps necessary to make their country a key ally in the war on terrorism and to set it on the path to becoming a modern, prosperous democratic state,” she told the house committee.
“As a result of forward thinking and acting Pakistan is now headed in the right direction.” She said she expected Pakistan’s 2005 local and 2007 general election to be ‘free and fair’.
Throughout the day-long proceedings, Ms Rice spiritedly defended the Bush administration’s close relations with Pakistan, warding off harsh criticism by some pro-Indian US lawmakers who wanted Washington to cancel the sale of F-16s, send US investigators to Pakistan to interrogate Dr A. Q. Khan and force President Pervez Musharraf to quit the army and introduce full democracy.
Explaining how America’s relations with Pakistan have grown since 9/11, Ms Rocca observed:
— Pakistan has supported US operations in Afghanistan. It is rooting out Al Qaeda and its terrorist allies in its tribal areas at the cost of more than 200 of its own soldiers. It has killed or captured hundreds of foreign terrorists and militants. It has also continued its cooperation in building a stable and democratic Afghanistan and countering nuclear proliferation.
— Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan has improved. Trade between the two countries has grown dramatically, and they can jointly reap enormous benefits by Afghanistan serving as a land bridge between Central and South Asia and the world beyond.
— Pakistan is cooperating with the international communities’ efforts to dismantle the A.Q. Khan network and to sharing with us information from its own investigation, including information received from Dr Khan. And we expect this cooperation to continue.
— Democratization is another central focus of our relationship. We expect Pakistan’s 2005 local and 2007 general elections to be free and fair throughout the entire process. And we believe that democracy, freedom and rule of law are the best counters to hatred, extremism and terrorism.
— Another critical component is Pakistan’s economy and in the last four years it has moved from crisis to stabilization and now to significant growth. Providing the promise of a better future for Pakistanis will be a very important part of the country’s success in overcoming extremism. Expanded economic relations between the Untied Stated and Pakistan are important to our overall relationship, and we’re negotiating a bilateral investment treaty with Pakistan to strengthen our commercial and economic relationship.
— On the India-Pakistan front, President Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have taken bold steps to push forward with reconciliation between their countries, contributing to overall stability in the region. We continue to encourage the wide-ranging dialogue between India and Pakistan to settle the issues that divide them, including Kashmir, and the agreement to start a bus service across the line of control in Kashmir is a dramatic breakthrough that involved difficult compromises on both sides.
— It’s having a real impact on the lives of average Kashmiris, allowing resumed contacts between long-separated populations, and we’re continuing to encourage both sides to take advantage of the momentum that’s been created by the statesmanship that both countries have shown.
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