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Powell Arrives In Pakistan
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| Powell prior to boarding plane that takes him to Asia for a weeklong visit |
By IOL correspondent in Islamabad, Aamir Latif
ISLAMABAD, Jan. 16 (Islam Online) The U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, arrived in Islamabad
Wendseday in the first phase of his South Asia visit to defuse
tensions between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan which have put their armies on alert along their tense border.
Powell, who is also due to visit Afghanistan, says he will be discussing with India a pledge made on Saturday by Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf, to
curb what he called “Islamic militancy”.
"The Indians have to make the judgement as to when they move their forces, and I will point to them what has transpired, and see if we can find ways to go down
this de-escalatory ladder," he said in an interview with CBS Evening News on Monday.
Powell, who is to hold talks in Islamabad Wednesday and in New Delhi Thursday, has said a war between the two over disputed Kashmir would be "unthinkable'' and a "disaster."
Pakistan and India, who conducted nuclear tests in 1998, have fought two of their two wars and a three-week long Kargil skirmish over Kashmir, in 1948, 1965 and 1999 respectively.
According to analysts, Musharraf, who is being applauded by the U.S. and western media for banning religious groups in the country, will be in a strong position to "categorically" demand the U.S. to put the “utmost” pressure on India to withdraw its troops from the eastern borders.
Pakistan is also expecting new financial support from the United States and the issue will be bilaterally discussed and finalized with Alan Larson, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, who arrived in Islamabad with Colin Powell.
Official sources told Islam Online that Minister for Finance, Shaukat Aziz, will hold negotiations with Larson to obtain new U.S. loans on concessional terms.
This would be Larson's second visit to Pakistan to forge renewed economic relations, including trade, between the two countries. Earlier, he visited Islamabad immediately after the terror attacks in New York and Washington.
"We are hoping to have increased financial support and better market access in the United States as was earlier promised", a senior official said. He added that the Bush administration had worked out details of renewed market access, specially for Pakistan's textile products, and that the issue was expected to be finalized during talks between the finance minister and the US under secretary for economic affairs.
According to sources, Pakistan is also seeking more market access from the European Union (EU) and Japan and the issue will be finalized once the negotiations with the United States are over.
Earlier, the EU offered some market access in the shape of reduced duties and more quota, which is expected to provide additional $400 million during the present financial year. A number of EU countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom and France, have also increased their annual assistance for Pakistan.
Sources said Japan would soon be resuming its annual assistance of $500 million for Pakistan, which was expected to be stretched to $700 or $750 million due to Islamabad's decision to support the US-led coalition against terrorism.
Tokyo suspended Pakistan's annual assistance when the later decided to go nuclear in May 1998. In addition, it was said that Japan would be announcing new market access for Pakistani goods shortly. Pakistan had earlier been informed that Japan could not write off its five-billion-dollar bilateral debt. However, it promised new financial support on low interest rate.
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