The United States has said it sees no threat to the elected Pakistani government in the wake of Pakistani military's public expression of concern over parts of the recently passed Kerry-Lugar Bill on $7.5 billion US economic assistance for the key South Asian anti-terror partner. "I don't think it is a threat to - you know, to the civilian government in Pakistan," Assistant Secretary of State Philip J Crowley said at a briefing, when asked to comment on the subject.
Crowley also renewed the Obama Administration's commitment to develop a US long-term partnership with Pakistan. The US official praised the recently forged public backing for the Pakistani civilian and military actions to deal with the Taliban challenges in the north-western areas and noted that, in fact, the Pakistani government is becoming more assertive.
"Quite the opposite. I think that actually what you're seeing is a government in Pakistan that is becoming more confident. It is becoming more assertive. It is doing things that are important to, you know, the Pakistani people," he remarked at Washington's Foreign Press Center. "You've had a very significant change in recent months, in terms of the understanding that not only the government has but the Pakistani people have, in term of the nature of the threat that is a threat to Pakistan itself.
"In the recent activity, you know, by the military and by the government, dealing with the situation in Swat valley, you've seen significant support, you know, by the Pakistani people, you know, for that activity," Crowley added. As part of the US long-term commitment to Pakistan and to the region, Washington is going to provide assistance to the country.
"And we are working very diligently, very closely with the Pakistani government. That's why the secretary (Hillary Clinton) and the foreign minister (Shah Mahmood Qureshi), you know, met yesterday. that's why the secretary (Hillary Clinton) and President (Asif Ali) Zardari met in New York."
In this respect, Crowley cited a number of meetings focused on Pakistan, during the UN General Assembly, (like Friends of Democratic Pakistan ) on not only, you know, making sure that there is proper international support for Pakistan, because we recognise that Pakistan is shouldering a significant burden."
"And Pakistan's ability to deal with the challenge that exists, within its borders, and to help with - you know, be part of a regional solution. So as you deal with the threat that expands across borders, that that not only has benefits to those countries, in the region, but has benefits beyond the region as well."
The assistant secretary asserted that the US is working with Pakistan and will not try to impose American solutions on the Pakistani problems. "We are committed to help. We are committed to work closely with Pakistan. We're not going to impose US solutions on Pakistani problems.
We want to make sure that to the extent we are willing and able to provide assistance, it is working hand in glove with Pakistan and addressing those concerns that are very specifically, you know, concerns of the Pakistani people and reflect the priorities of the people of Pakistan."
Continuing, he explained that energy is one of those areas. A team led by State Department Energy Co-ordinator David Goldwyn, will be going to Pakistan next week to discuss with Pakistan its energy requirements and how the US can work with Pakistan to extend electricity to more parts of the country.
"It doesn't - you know, if you're facing a challenge of political extremism and terrorism, the first thing that doesn't cross your mind is electricity. And yet the ability of the Pakistan government to ultimately deliver, for its own people, is part of that, you know, part of the antidote to political extremism."
"As people become more confident in their government that the government is working on their behalf and not against them, that is how you ultimately reduce and eventually erode the support for the kinds of movements that confront Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries."
On the meeting Secretary Clinton and Foreign Minister Qureshi this week, he said, they discussed the important strategic partnership that the United States enjoys with Pakistan and "our mutual efforts going forward to try to build a sustainable economic development for Pakistan, to enhance the security and safety in the region, and together to continue to fight militants that pose a threat to Pakistan, the region and the United States."
"(They) took stock of the fact that important legislation has recently passed the United States Congress, the so-called Kerry-Lugar-Berman legislation, which envisions significantly increased civilian assistance to Pakistan to help build civilian institutions, educational institutions, infrastructure, increase exchanges between Pakistan and the United States, but to really pursue those priorities that are important to the Pakistani people and important to their future."
"And in that respect, as Secretary Clinton and Foreign Minister Qureshi reflected, there has been significant progress made there in terms of Pakistan's willingness to deal with the threat that is not only a threat to the United States and the region but also a threat to Pakistan itself." The Obama administration, he said, is working with the Pakistani government and try to help the government increase its capacity to deliver for its own people.
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