By APP
Washington : Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said the United States and Pakistan have deepening ties and visit by it diplomats to the major anti-terror ally for talks with the new government signifies Washington’s respect for the democratic process and its outcome in the country.
Rice said timing of the visit by Deputy Secretary John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher – planned some time ago – “turned out to be pretty coincidental.”
“I believe that given that Pakistan is an ally and a country, with whom we have deepening ties, it’s a good thing to engage the government early. And I would take it – I would hope people would take it as a sign of respect, that we respect the democratic process in Pakistan and we respect its outcome and we welcome its outcome, and it’s now time, therefore, to engage that government.”
In an interview with editorial board of The Washington Times, she said the US is interested in talking to the new government on the way forward in the fight against violent extremism.
The top American diplomat, at the same time, acknowledged the complexity of the problem in the federally administered tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
“FATA is also a very special problem. It’s a special problem because it has not been governed really ever. It’s a special problem because the tribal ties are very deep and they are cross-border ties. And we are – we have been trying to develop with the – first with the Musharraf government, and I think we will be interested in conversations with the new government as to how to address this part of Pakistan where, clearly, terrorism is a really big problem.”
Dr Rice referred to the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and stated it’s the assessment of most that the forces that assassinated her are associated with terrorists who operate in that area.
She noted that Pakistan has been a victim of terrorist attacks and underlined the menace has to be addressed.
“And it can’t be tolerated by the Pakistanis, who are bearing the brunt of the extremists attacking, whether it is the assassination of Benazir Bhutto or the actions that they’ve taken against the armed forces or the innocent civilians who have died in those attacks.”