ISLAMABAD, May 23: The United States will provide financial and technical assistance to Pakistan to import electricity from Central Asia to help meet its energy needs in the coming years. “We have identified key areas to help Pakistan overcome its energy problems for which a regional energy conference will also be held in a few weeks,” said US Under-Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Ms Josette Sheeran Shiner.

Addressing a news conference here on Tuesday after meeting Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and his Adviser on Finance Dr Salman, she said: “From today, Pakistan and the United States have launched a strategic dialogue under which both the countries will have enhanced cooperation in the field of trade and investment,” the US under-secretary of state said. “We are having this strategic cooperation only with a few countries in the world”.

A decision she said, has been taken to extend maximum support to Pakistan for further improving its economy, meeting its energy requirements and creating more investment opportunities in Pakistan.

Special efforts, she pointed out, were being made to develop links in the energy, communications and transport sectors between Pakistan and the Central Asia.

Referring to the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, she said: “We have not specifically discussed this issue and the focus of our discussion was to help meet Pakistan’s energy needs through Central Asia.”

Referring to Bush Administration’s decision to create a reconstruction opportunity zone in areas along the Pakistan-Afghan border, she said it would allow import of duty-free products in the United States, adding that the US Congress would soon approve a bill.

Ms Shiner said that US companies have shown interest to invest in projects coming through the Central Asia in Pakistan. She was of the view that public-private partnership could be developed between South Asia and Central Asia to benefit the whole region.

The United States, she pointed out, was spending $40 million to build a road between Tajikistan and Afghanistan which she believed, would ultimately help Pakistan to import necessary energy from Central Asia.

“I will be attending a joint economic commission session in Central Asia in next 4 to 6 weeks’ time in which the role of Pakistan in respect to its energy needs will be discussed,” She said.

The US under-secretary of state said that Pakistan had expressed concern over negative travel advisories issued by the US government. “They raised their concerns and we have noted their concerns over the issue,” she said.

Referring to the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), she said that most of the issues relating to it have been worked out but few issues still needed to be finalised. “We are quite confident that BIT will be signed shortly,” she said.