US committed to helping Pakistan: Hillary Clinton
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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the United States is committed to helping Pakistan achieve the goal of sustainable and durable democracy.
Addressing the students of the Government College University in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Thursday, Clinton acknowledged that there were last opportunities of strengthening relationship between the two countries but the United States would not repeat that history.
"Obama administration does not believe in one sided relationship and is committed to working with Pakistan in the long run as a true partner," she said.
She said both Pakistan and the United States face serious challenges from the threat posed by violent extremists, global economic downturn and environmental and climate issues. She said the two sides not only share these problems but would work together on shared solutions.
Clinton acknowledged that the security issues are serious and urgent receive greater and priority attention but the Pakistan-U.S. partnership goes beyond the realms of security. She pointed out that Pakistan is standing on the frontline of the battle against terrorism but the United States is standing with it.
Referring to the broader parameters of the bilateral relationship, she said the United States is also placing greater emphasis on projects like increasing access to education, supporting entrepreneurs, improving the tool of micro-finance, technology and energy supplies.
She pointed out that access to higher education is one of the unfinished task in Pakistan where for too many young people university education is a distant dream. With this in view, she said, the United States would provide 45 million dollars to Pakistan's Higher Education Commission to expand both university and technical education for students in economically vulnerable areas like Southern Punjab, North West Frontier Province and those displaced by recent violence.
Responding to the questions by students, the U.S. Secretary of State reiterated Obama administration's resolve for promoting people to people contacts to build strong and solid relationship between the two partners.
She said with the courageous efforts of the military and the commitment of the democratic government, Pakistan will be successful in overcoming the menace of terrorism.
When asked that the U.S. prefers its relations with India as compared to Pakistan, Clinton said her country have friendly relations with both the countries and encouraging both of them to resolve their outstanding issues for the betterment of their people.
Speaking at a press conference Wednesday afternoon in Pakistani Foreign Office, Clinton said that U.S. seeks to turn the page to a new partnership not only with the Pakistani government but people of democratic Pakistan.
Clinton arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday morning to start her three-day trip to Pakistan. She also met with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani respectively on Wednesday evening.
