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Bush promises Pakistan $1 billion in debt relief

New Delhi looks to the US to put pressure on Pakistan to end cross-border terrorism and calls for denial of aid to countries supporting terrorism.

On the other hand, President George W Bush sings the praises of Pakistan counterpart Pervez Musharraf -- and promises him more goodies.

Accepting the credentials of Pakistan's newly appointed ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi -- former high commissioner to India -- at the White House on September 25, Bush described Pakistan as 'a vital and stalwart friend and a key partner for the United States.' '

'We also offer our assistance to Pakistan's efforts to reinitiate dialogue with neighboring India, and to strengthen ties with its other important neighbor, Afghanistan,' he said.

Bush said Qazi's arrival in Washington 'comes at a critical time, as our countries stand shoulder-to-shoulder, working to eliminate international terrorism.' Recalling his meeting with Musharraf on September 12, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York, Bush said the two had discussed 'many aspects of our countries' renewed and improving bilateral relationships.'

What Bush forgot to mention was that he had asked Musharraf, on that occasion, to permanently halt cross-border infiltration into India, and to refrain from interfering in the ongoing election in Jammu and Kashmir.

'Pakistan,' Bush said, 'continues to provide invaluable assistance in capturing some of the most important terrorist ringleaders and their followers.

'The people of the United States greatly appreciate Pakistan's unstinting support for Operation Enduring Freedom, and as I told President Musharraf, I want to continue expanding cooperation between our countries.'

Bush committed the US to assisting Pakistan's 'efforts to provide basic social services to more of its citizens' and noted that immediately following the 9/11 attacks the US had injected $600 million into Pakistan's enfeebled economy, then followed it up with a $3 billion debt rescheduling agreement signed last August.

The president said he was currently 'working with Congress to provide Pakistan with an additional $1 billion in debt relief' and added that 'the US government is marshalling hundreds of millions of dollars in additional resources and expertise to assist Pakistan in training teachers, modernizing curriculums, and providing more healthcare services to Pakistan's neediest citizens.'

Bush predicted that over the long-term, these initiatives would help build Pakistan's 'human resource base, make your country more attractive to investors, expand Pakistan's potential to attract higher value-added industries, and widen the prospects for ordinary Pakistanis to lead better lives.

'To encourage this economic revitalization, I have asked members of my government to expand economic cooperation between our countries,' he added.

While presenting his credentials Qazi said, 'Pakistan and the United States stand at a historic and hopeful juncture in their long-standing relationship that goes back over half a century.

'Over the past decades, our constructive partnership has had a profound effect on world events.' He enumerated the US-Pakistan alliance from the beginning of the Cold War to its demise and later 'as a vital link in the Sino-US rapprochement, which tilted the East-West balance decisively in favor of the free world.'

'We are together once again to fight freedom's battle,' he said, noting that Pakistan's 'unstinting cooperation in the fight against the modern-day evil of terrorism' continues to 'this moment and has enabled the global coalition to make impressive gains in the anti-terrorism campaign.'

'South Asia,' he said, 'must have a peace process that addresses the Kashmir dispute in a fair manner, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Without a just and lasting solution on Kashmir, hopes for durable peace in the region would remain elusive.'

He then pitched for US mediation. 'The US, with friendly ties to the parties, is in a unique position to facilitate this process. People in Pakistan, and in Kashmir, look towards the United States. We are confident that their hopes and expectations would not be belied.'

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