Munter pays farewell call on Prime Minister

Both hold one on one meeting, with Munter promising to encourage Americans to invest in Pakistan's energy sector.

ISLAMABAD: With months long stand off between the US and Pakistan defusing to a degree after the former offered the latter an apology over a deadly cross-border incident from last November, the American Ambassador was told by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf that both allies need to look at the challenges ahead and move forward in building a durable and mutually beneficially partnership between their people based on mutual respect and mutual interest.

Speaking with outgoing US Ambassador Cameron Munter at the PM House in Islamabad on Wednesday, Prime Minister Ashraf said that Pakistan took the decision of reopening Ground Lines of Communication (GLOCs) for NATO supplies in the larger interest of regional peace and stability in accordance with national interests.

He said that despite recent challenges posed to the bilateral relations between Pakistan and the US, it was matter of great satisfaction that ties have gotten back on track, thanks to multi-layered engagements between the Pakistani leadership and their American counterparts.

With the supply lines reopened, Ashraf hoped that cooperation in civil fields such as the US assistance programmes in the energy generation, infrastructure development, water management, agriculture and human development sectors would also resume. He said that under the government’s policy of ‘trade not aid’, his government hoped that the Obama administration would work with the US Congress on greater market access for a preferential tariff for Pakistani goods.

The Prime Minister said that the country was a front line state against war on terror and had suffered the losses more than any other country in the world. He conveyed Pakistani expectations that its allies would also respect her red lines, in a veiled reference to the continued dispute over drone strikes inside Pakistani territory. He said that the government had taken effective measures on counter construction and planting of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and had endeavoured to curb its flow into Afghanistan. Pakistani action against IED factories in the tribal areas was outlined as key pre-requisites by recent legislature in the US for releasing aid to Pakistan under some programmes.

On the future of Afghanistan, Ashraf said that Pakistan is ready to facilitate the transition process in its western neighbour as a responsible member of the international community and as a country which stands to directly benefit or lose depending on how situation unfolds in Kabul post US-withdrawal.

The Prime Minister reiterated that Pakistan supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive peace and reconciliation process and extended Pakistan's support in international efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan. “Despite our own economic constraints, the government has announced a financial assistance plan for Afghanistan to the tune of $20 million,” Ashraf reminded Munter.

The Prime Minister appreciated the efforts of the outgoing US Ambassador Cameron Munter in spearheading the Pakistan-US relations during challenging times.

Munter, who could be replaced by Ambassador Richard Olsen, said that the relationship between Pakistan and the United States was too vital to be left at the mercy of irritants.

The Ambassador thanked the government and the people of Pakistan for their excellent hospitality extended to him during his stay in the country. He said that he thoroughly enjoyed his deputation in Pakistan where he found the people hospitable and the culture as beautiful as it was diverse. He said that he would use his offices to encourage private investors to invest in Pakistan's energy sector.