Underscoring Pakistan's importance to US interests in the region, a top American diplomat has hailed the country's recent democratic progress in which the Prime Minister's role is assuming greater importance.
Deputy Secretary of State, John Negroponte said that Washington has a strong interest in Pakistan's political stability and that the South Asian country's cooperation is crucial to counter terrorism success in Afghanistan. "I think clearly, there has been some movement here, and the role of Prime Minister seems to be taking on greater importance," he told ABC channel in an interview.
He praised the democratic progress, which the country has witnessed since its historic February 18 parliamentary polls and billed the recent political transition as "very positive." "Their elections and their transition, their political transition has been a very positive development. I think there has been democratisation process here, started, to be sure, some of the elements of it started under President Musharraf." Highlighting Pakistan's importance, the second ranked diplomat at the State Department said, "This is an Islamic country of 160 million people, located in a strategic part of the world."
Continuing he said, "We have a very strong interest, both in their internal political stability, their democratic evolution, and I would submit to you that what happened with their elections last year was very positive."
The US, he stressed, has a long-term interest in Pakistan's wellbeing. "Pakistan is a very important country for a whole host of reasons. We have a long-term interest in the stability and wellbeing of the country of Pakistan."
Negroponte said there are militants operating in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan and added that al Qaeda leaders might be holed up somewhere.
In response to a question about whereabouts of Osama bin Laden, he said if his exact whereabouts were known, the US would have taken steps to put him out of commission. "I'm sure if it were so, although I'm no longer the director of national intelligence. If it were so, I'm sure we would take steps to put him out of commission one way or another." At the same time, Negroponte said he could not tell for sure about Osama's whereabouts. "I can't tell you for sure. I'm not able to tell you for sure where he is, but I mean the suspicion is that he's in that area between Afghanistan and Pakistan."