ID :
16457
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 11:11
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/16457
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US says Pak situation 'fragile' but sees no power vacuum
Washington, Aug 19 (PTI) The U.S. has described the situation in Pakistan as "fragile" but rejected suggestions that ouster of Pervez Musharraf would lead to a power vacuum, a view articulated recently by India's National SecurityAdviser M.K. Narayanan.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed faith in the elected government, particularly with regard to fight against terrorism, and said the U.S. would "do everything wecan to strengthen" it.
"... obviously, it's a fragile situation in Pakistan because it's a new civilian government for the first time in a long time in Pakistan, since 1999, but it is an elected government. I think it has fabulous support. And that's a lotto build on," Rice told reporters.
She was responding when asked if the power vacuum following Musharraf's resignation means a slow descent intochaos in Pakistan and if Washington is concerned about it.
Asked if she believed there was no "real" leadership in Pakistan at the moment, Rice said, "I don't subscribe to the notion that there's no leadership in Pakistan. There's a democratically-elected prime minister. There's a government that came into being as a coalition and it's had itsdifficulties internally".
Her remarks came a week after Narayanan told a newspaper in Singapore that Musharraf's exit may leave a "big vacuum" that would give freedom to radical extremist elements to "dowhat they like" in India.
Expressing faith in the Pakistan People's Party-Pakistan Muslim League(Nawaz) government, Rice said "We believe that this government can succeed in taking on these terrorists." Promising continued U.S. assistance economically, politically and in security terms to Pakistan, the Secretary of State said "..It is a government that has been elected by the Pakistani people and we're going to do everything we can to strengthen it and continue working with it." She, however, disfavoured the policy of negotiating with militants in the restive northwest areas of Pakistan, sayingit is not yielding results.
"We've talked about some of the strategies (with Pakistan government). We think that the strategy of trying to negotiate in the F.A.T.A. (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) has not demonstrated results and we've been very clear about that." Rice praised Musharraf's nine-year term as President of Pakistan, saying he had marked a shift from extremism for the country and helped in the nation's transition todemocracy.
"President Musharraf took his country a long way, turning it back from the extremism that was starting to characterise it -- at the time of 2001. He also kept his promise to try andhelp transition to free and fair elections," she added.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed faith in the elected government, particularly with regard to fight against terrorism, and said the U.S. would "do everything wecan to strengthen" it.
"... obviously, it's a fragile situation in Pakistan because it's a new civilian government for the first time in a long time in Pakistan, since 1999, but it is an elected government. I think it has fabulous support. And that's a lotto build on," Rice told reporters.
She was responding when asked if the power vacuum following Musharraf's resignation means a slow descent intochaos in Pakistan and if Washington is concerned about it.
Asked if she believed there was no "real" leadership in Pakistan at the moment, Rice said, "I don't subscribe to the notion that there's no leadership in Pakistan. There's a democratically-elected prime minister. There's a government that came into being as a coalition and it's had itsdifficulties internally".
Her remarks came a week after Narayanan told a newspaper in Singapore that Musharraf's exit may leave a "big vacuum" that would give freedom to radical extremist elements to "dowhat they like" in India.
Expressing faith in the Pakistan People's Party-Pakistan Muslim League(Nawaz) government, Rice said "We believe that this government can succeed in taking on these terrorists." Promising continued U.S. assistance economically, politically and in security terms to Pakistan, the Secretary of State said "..It is a government that has been elected by the Pakistani people and we're going to do everything we can to strengthen it and continue working with it." She, however, disfavoured the policy of negotiating with militants in the restive northwest areas of Pakistan, sayingit is not yielding results.
"We've talked about some of the strategies (with Pakistan government). We think that the strategy of trying to negotiate in the F.A.T.A. (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) has not demonstrated results and we've been very clear about that." Rice praised Musharraf's nine-year term as President of Pakistan, saying he had marked a shift from extremism for the country and helped in the nation's transition todemocracy.
"President Musharraf took his country a long way, turning it back from the extremism that was starting to characterise it -- at the time of 2001. He also kept his promise to try andhelp transition to free and fair elections," she added.
