May 27, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1429

ISLAMABAD, May 26: Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said that Pakistan will be a stronger and more stable democracy after the present government resolves all constitutional and legal issues through democratic consensus.

During meetings with two US congressional delegations here on Monday, Mr Zardari briefed them on steps being taken by the PPP to strengthen the process of national reconciliation.

He said the PPP attached importance to the Pakistan-US relations and wanted to improve them for the benefit of the people of Pakistan.

The first congressional delegation led by Rep Adam Schiff, member of the House Permanent Committee on Intelligence, Judiciary Committee and Democracy Assistance, included Rep Allyson Schwartz, member of the Democracy Assistance Committee of the US Congress. The second delegation led by Senator Russ Feingold of Foreign Relation Committee and Special Committee on Intelligence included US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson.

The delegations expressed the hope that under a democratic government, the US-Pakistan relations would strengthen further. They appreciated PPP’s strong stance and position on global terrorism.

They offered condolences over the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and praised her efforts for restoration of democracy in Pakistan.

Mr Zardari was assisted in talks by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar, Ambassador-designate to the US Husain Haqqani and National Security Adviser Lt-Gen Mehmood Ali Durrani.

Meeting with PM

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said his government’s priority is to promote socio-economic development and ensure peace and stability in the country.

He said that a multi-pronged strategy was being evolved to combat terrorism and extremism because this was in Pakistan’s own interest.

The prime minister was talking to US Senator Russ Feingold who had called on him at the Prime Minister’s House here on Monday. US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson accompanied the senator.

Mr Gilani stressed the need for addressing the root-causes of terrorism which were socio-economic disparity and unresolved political disputes. He said Pakistan had been consistently fighting this menace and had sacrificed a lot, including the assassination of its leader Benazir Bhutto.—Agencies