ID :
26714
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 23:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/26714
The shortlink copeid
India to support Pak efforts to overcome financial crisis: PM
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) In what could be seen as a major
confidence building measure, India has said it will support Pakistan government's efforts to tide over a serious financial crunch by backing Islamabad's plan to seek help from the International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.).
"I wish the new democratic government in Pakistan well.
We would like them to succeed," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
told reporters on board his special aircraft while returning
home from a two-nation trip to Japan and China Saturday
evening.
"Pakistan is in serious difficulties and is going to
the I.M.F. We will support Pakistan getting help from the
I.M.F.," said Singh, who met his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf
Raza Gilani in Beijing on the margins of the A.S.E.M. Summit
on Friday.
Singh said he and Gilani discussed "all issues having
a bearing on our bilateral relations and I would say that
there was a near complete meeting of mind."
The Prime Minister's remarks came as Pakistan is facing a
major economic crisis with plunging foreign exchange reserves
and high inflation. The rating agency Standard and Poor's
downgraded the country's sovereign debt to level of
'CCC-plus', close to defaulting on its commitments of external
loan repayment.
Islamabad is seeking loans from international donor funds
and member states of 'Friends of Pakistan' group, which will
convene a meeting next month in the U.A.E.
The Prime Minister said he had extensive discussions with
Gilani on trade.
"We expressed happiness at the opening of the trade route
in Jammu and Kashmir. We expressed our wish that trade should
be expanded and discussed the problem of visa liberalisation
and people-to-people contact," Singh said.
He said Gilani briefed him about the discussions on
terrorism in Pakistan's Parliament.
Singh noted that Pakistan's Parliament had for the first
time passed a strong resolution against terrorism that said
Pakistani territories would not be allowed to be utilised for
terrorist activities against neighbours.
"It was a good meeting but we are yet to see how
effectively it is implemented...," Singh said. PTI
confidence building measure, India has said it will support Pakistan government's efforts to tide over a serious financial crunch by backing Islamabad's plan to seek help from the International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.).
"I wish the new democratic government in Pakistan well.
We would like them to succeed," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
told reporters on board his special aircraft while returning
home from a two-nation trip to Japan and China Saturday
evening.
"Pakistan is in serious difficulties and is going to
the I.M.F. We will support Pakistan getting help from the
I.M.F.," said Singh, who met his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf
Raza Gilani in Beijing on the margins of the A.S.E.M. Summit
on Friday.
Singh said he and Gilani discussed "all issues having
a bearing on our bilateral relations and I would say that
there was a near complete meeting of mind."
The Prime Minister's remarks came as Pakistan is facing a
major economic crisis with plunging foreign exchange reserves
and high inflation. The rating agency Standard and Poor's
downgraded the country's sovereign debt to level of
'CCC-plus', close to defaulting on its commitments of external
loan repayment.
Islamabad is seeking loans from international donor funds
and member states of 'Friends of Pakistan' group, which will
convene a meeting next month in the U.A.E.
The Prime Minister said he had extensive discussions with
Gilani on trade.
"We expressed happiness at the opening of the trade route
in Jammu and Kashmir. We expressed our wish that trade should
be expanded and discussed the problem of visa liberalisation
and people-to-people contact," Singh said.
He said Gilani briefed him about the discussions on
terrorism in Pakistan's Parliament.
Singh noted that Pakistan's Parliament had for the first
time passed a strong resolution against terrorism that said
Pakistani territories would not be allowed to be utilised for
terrorist activities against neighbours.
"It was a good meeting but we are yet to see how
effectively it is implemented...," Singh said. PTI
