Clinton wishes Gujral, Sharief all success

C K Arora in Washington

US President Bill Clinton has wished Prime Minister I K Gujral and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharief ''every success'' as they renew the dialogue between the two nations at their level after a gap of four years.

''The United States is encouraged that Sharief and Gujral have committed to resolve the issues which have divided Pakistan and India for so long,'' said Clinton while accepting new Pakistani ambassador Riaz Hussain Khokhar's credentials.

Though he did not make any specific reference, it is obvious that the President had in mind the Gujral-Sharief meeting in Male on Monday when he made these observations.

''The United States values its long-standing friendship with Pakistan,and views Pakistan as a key partner in advancing the causes of peace and prosperity in South Asia,'' Clinton said.

''Along with other members of the international community, the United States bears high regard for Pakistan's status as a leading contributor to international peace-keeping operation,'' he added.

Earlier, Khokhar, whose previous posting was as Pakistan's high commissioner to Delhi, said Sharief had launched an initiative to renew the dialogue with India ''aimed at resolving all outstanding issues, particularly the Kashmir dispute''.

Referring to the role that the US had played in promoting peace in other regions of the world, he said Pakistan ''greatly welcomed'' the commitment of the Clinton administration to devote greater attention to South Asian issues and to enhance a balanced relationship with both Pakistan and India.

''We are convinced that such an approach will not only promote a resolution of the Kashmir dispute, leading to peace and security in the region, but would also contribute to our shared goals of nuclear and missile non-proliferation in the sub-continent,'' he added.

Clinton made no reference to the points raised by the Pakistani envoy, particularly the one virtually seeking a US intervention in the ''Kashmir dispute''.

Nor did he refer to Khokhar's complaint against the ''continued restrictions'' on the sale of US military equipment to Pakistan.

Clinton said Pakistan and the United States had a common interest in fighting international terrorism and narcotics trafficking. ''We value the steps Pakistan has taken against these scourges and look forward to enhancing our cooperative efforts,'' the president remarked.

He also referred to the growing economic relations between Washington and Islamabad and said, ''As Pakistan further opens its economy to market forces and international trade, our commercial relationship would become even stronger.''

Khokhar, on his part, welcomed the release of the embargoed US military equipment to Pakistan under the Brown amendment. He said Islamabad looked forward to the ''equitable'' restitution of funds paid by Pakistan for the F-16 fighter bombers before 1990, which were not delivered to Pakistan because of the latter's nuclear weapons programme.

He also pleaded for the resumption of US economic aid to Pakistan as envisaged in the Brown amendment. The American aid had been of the order of $ 650 million a year in the 1980s. It was suspended in 1990 in protest against Pakistan's nuclear programme.

UNI

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