U.S. reaching out to Pakistan
with financial, military offerings
By Marni McEntee,
Stars and Stripes
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — America is making itself known in Pakistan, both in terms of
money and military presence.
A three-member Pentagon delegation arrived Monday in the capital city of Islamabad for
meetings with their military counterparts, U.S. Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin said during a
press conference Monday.
The delegation reportedly is headed by Air Force Brig. Gen. Ken Chilton, Pentagon
director of Strategic Planning for the Near East and South Asia, according to the
Associated Press.
Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Steve Campbell would not confirm that the delegation was in
Islamabad or that it was headed by Chilton.
"I’m not going to get into information about U.S. officials and where they
travel," Campbell said.
U.S. diplomatic officials in Pakistan would not discuss the delegation’s itinerary
or release any information about what would be discussed during the visit.
"They are here to see how Pakistan will cooperate in the effort to combat
terrorism," Chamberlin said.
After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Pakistan pledged its support to the United States
in its military campaign against suspected terrorist cells run by Saudi multimillionaire
Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden’s operations are based in Afghanistan, which shares a
border with Pakistan.
Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has said Pakistan would offer the use of its
intelligence, air space and short-term use of its military bases to the U.S. military.
In return for its support, the United States has lifted a number of sanctions imposed
in 1999 on Pakistan after it engaged with neighboring India in nuclear weapons testing.
Those sanctions included limits in economic assistance, because Musharraf overthrew
Pakistan’s democratically elected government in a military coup.
In a timely announcement Monday, American and Pakistani officials signed an agreement
rescheduling $379 million of Pakistan’s debt to the United States. The signing is the
final piece of an agreement made in January allowing Pakistan to reschedule approximately
$1.8 billion in official debt to the United States.
Diplomats insist that the debt rescheduling is not an offering made in return for
Pakistan’s military support, but one senior U.S. diplomat admitted that the
announcement was made ahead of schedule because of recent events.
The United States is the biggest market for Pakistani exports, said Nawid Ahsan,
Secretary of Pakistan’s Economic Affairs Division in the Ministry of Finance.
Chamberlin said the agreement would give Pakistan some "breathing space" in
its efforts to improve its faltering economy. She also promised additional economic
assistance programs in the future.
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