John Kerry urged Nawaz to take soft stance towards aid bill

[LahoreEstate]

NAVEED BUTT
ISLAMABAD (October 20 2009): US Senator John Kerry on Monday asked the top leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to take soft stance over the Kerry-Lugar bill and cooperate with the American government to fight terrorism, reliable sources told Business Recorder. Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry expressed these views in a meeting with PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif at Punjab House.

Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, PML-N Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, United States Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W Patterson, former diplomat Tariq Fatimi and others were also present in the meeting.

Sources quoting Kerry said that PML-N should not make the bill controversial and play its role to strengthen bilateral relations. They said Senator Kerry assured the PML-N leadership that his country wants political and economic stability of Pakistan. And in this regard, PML-N should play its due role, they added.

Kerry explaining the US stance over the bill said the US wanted to assist Pakistan in improving education, health sectors and carrying out development projects especially in the tribal areas of the country.

According to sources, the PML-N leadership did not totally reject the bill, but indirectly supported it in the meeting with John Kerry. Sources said that PML-N leadership sought trade opportunities for Pakistan and the US market access to its commodities.

According to a handout issued by the PML-N central office: "In his luncheon meeting this afternoon with Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Nawaz Sharif apprised the Senator of the feelings and concerns of the people of Pakistan regarding the Kerry-Lugar bill.

Nawaz Sharif reaffirmed that the bill, with its conditionalities continues to cause concerns, which he emphasised, needed to be addressed, to establish a relationship of trust and confidence between the two countries. He, therefore, urged the Senator to consider suitable measures to allay the doubts and misgivings that had arisen in Pakistan.

The former Prime Minister assured Senator Kerry that Pakistan valued its friendship with the United States. He, therefore, urged the Obama Administration and the US Congress to establish a genuine partnership with the people of Pakistan based on mutual respect and trust.

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