UK assures support in getting GSP Plus arrangement from EU: Miliband meets Zardari, Gilani

British government would extend full support to Pakistan in getting GSP Plus arrangement from the European Union and for initiating negotiations on free trade agreement, said British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, here on Thursday.
"I am fully convinced that Pakistan's genuine requirement at this crucial hour of need is enhanced market access abroad and the world community should realise this and support Pakistan to gain market space," Miliband said while talking to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in separate meetings. He also reaffirmed his government's continued support to Pakistan, at this critical juncture, in every way possible by stating that UK would stand by Pakistan through thick and thin to help it succeed against militancy and terrorism.
Miliband also assured full support of his government in helping Pakistan overcome its economic problems, besides rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Malakand and other parts of NWFP. Displaced people have rendered immense sacrifices in war against terror and needed more attention of the world community, Miliband said.
He acknowledged Pakistan's colossal human and economic sacrifices in uprooting militancy and terrorism from its territory. He expressed his condolences on the loss of lives of Army Jawans and law enforcement agencies' personnel.
He discussed with Pakistani leadership matters relating to bilateral relations between the two countries, focusing also on the efforts for the relief and rehabilitation of the displaced people and ways and means for the economic turnaround of the country.
President Zardari in the meeting held at Aiwan-e-Sadr highlighted that Pakistan's economy had been bruised by the war against militancy and emphasised the need for access of Pakistani products into the US and the EU markets to help meet the challenges of the poverty and unemployment. The President welcomed the support and assistance of the British government in the relief and rehabilitation of the displaced people.
Prime Minister Gilani during the meeting held at Prime Minister House said with the return of dislocated persons of Malakand Division to their abodes starting July 13, the crucial phase of their rehabilitation and reconstruction in the militancy affected areas has started and the international community must come forward to help Pakistan in this crucial process.
He also underlined the imperative need for capacity building of the personnel of law enforcement agencies to fill in the vacuum which would be created by withdrawal of armed forces from the affected areas. The Prime Minister regretted that international promises to properly equip and provide for the needed funding required for paying adequately to LEAs personnel are yet to be fulfilled.
The Prime Minister commended the fact that a substantial portion of assistance pledged by the UK to Pakistan for 2009-12 would be for education and health sectors and hence will help government of Pakistan in improving the socio-economic infrastructure in NWFP and Fata.
Responding to the British Secretary of State's offer of deputing an expert in implementation of education policy to Pakistan, the Prime Minister apprised him of his government's plans of introducing reforms in Madressahs and welcomed the offer of British assistance in this regard. The Prime Minister emphasised that grant of enhanced market access to Pakistani products by the UK and the EU was crucial to help Pakistan overcome the problem of unemployment in general and militancy in particular. He hoped that UK would play its due role in assisting Pakistan in this regard. The Prime Minister took up that matter relating to the arrest of Pakistani students with the British Secretary of State and expressed his government's concern over their continued detention without any tangible evidence.
He hoped that the students would be released and allowed to complete their studies and their media trial on unfounded grounds would come to an end. He also stated that while Pakistan has agreed to receive British experts for exploratory talks on British proposal of signing an MoU on Deportation With Assurances (DWA), given the nature of linkages and relations, Pakistan should not be bracketed in the category of countries with which UK had concluded DWA agreement.