UK backs Pakistan’s anti-terror strategy, says Miliband
27th November 2008
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband while supporting Pakistan’s latest strategy to fight terrorism has said that world attention is increasingly focused on the country which has also emerged as an important player in the fields of economy and security. He said that there is also Pakistan’s strategy to combat terrorism by means others than simply using the military also enjoys British support.
He made these remarks in his meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi during his day-long visit to the federal capital, his second in six months.
Miliband advised the leadership that it was important that Pakistan came up with comprehensive proposals in the fields of education for consideration of the ministerial meeting of donors to Pakistan on December 16 in New York.
President Asif Ali Zardari in his meeting with the British foreign secretary said the multi-pronged strategy adopted by the new democratic government in the fight against terrorism had started yielding results. However, he maintained that the unilateral strikes from across the border were not helping the situation.
The president conveyed to the visiting British foreign secretary the growing concern of the government and the people of Pakistan over attacks from across the border into its territory. He said the issue of terrorism was being dealt with on the political, economic and military fronts simultaneously and was aimed at bringing peace and stability to the region. The president said the effective strategy adopted by the government had full political and public ownership.
He also discussed with Miliband bilateral relations and the need for a more meaningful economic and trade partnership between the two countries. He was appreciative of the lead role Britain was playing at the Friends of Pakistan forum and the assistance the group had pledged for Pakistan’s development, institution building, energy, stability and border areas.
The president also sought the support of the United Kingdom in helping Pakistan gain greater market access to the European Union. David Miliband said his country greatly valued its relations with Pakistan and assured full cooperation in all areas.
According to statements from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat and the Foreign Office, Miliband greatly appreciated the continuing efforts that Pakistan is making to fight terror and militancy. “He said terrorism was a matter of global concern as it is for Pakistan. Pakistan has faced a lot of difficulties due to its frontline role in the war against terror and is still passing through a difficult phase”, the statements said.
While appreciating Pakistan’s new strategy to address the issue of terrorism, he said the British government supported the need to incorporate political and economic means besides security measures to confront the challenges of terrorism in Afghanistan.
The Pakistani leadership expressed its concern as well as that of the public over attacks from across the border into Pakistan’s territory. The foreign minister briefed his British counterpart on the government’s domestic priorities and the concrete measures it has taken to meet the various challenges facing the country, including the multi-pronged strategy in the fight against terrorism, which was effective, was delivering results and had political and public ownership.
Islamabad’s efforts to come out of the economic downslide were also part of the discussions and in this context the prime minister expressed the hope that the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Forum would pave the way for substantive cooperation in the economic field.
The three-tier forum is expected to meet regularly to help synergise cooperation activities with Pakistan on different platforms with the forum’s members. “The prime minister called for the UK’s assistance in the EU for enhanced market access through the GSP + arrangement and FTA. He said Pakistan is looking forward to the UK’s support to the government of Pakistan’s roadmap presented at the New York ministerial meeting for comprehensively upgrading relations with the EU as enhanced market access to Pakistan would not only help Pakistan’s economy to flourish but would also help in our mutual efforts to counter terrorism”, said the statement.
Miliband said that Britain had important linkages with Pakistan in fighting terrorism, narcotics control, and said that his country would continue its support to Pakistan. He expressed the desire to further enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of education and against illegal migration.
During the meeting between the two foreign ministers bilateral relations, matters relating to the European Union, the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Forum, counter-terrorism, the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s relations with India were discussed.
Qureshi stated that there was greater coordination and trust between the Pakistan and Afghanistan governments and a number of meetings had taken place in this regard. He stressed particularly on the issues of governance and drug control in Afghanistan.
Miliband was also briefed at the Foreign Office on the composite dialogue process with India and Pakistan’s endeavours to improve relations all around. He also underlined that the important issue of water sharing must be resolved quickly under the Indus Water Treaty.
Source: The International News