06 November 2001

U.S., Pakistan Want to "Resolve the Threat of Terrorism"

U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Wendy Chamberlin said on the CBS "Early Show" on November 6 that Pakistani President Musharraf has supported everything that will bring a quick end to the military campaign in Afghanistan.

Asked whether President Musharraf was receptive to the idea that it would be in no one's interest to "give the Taliban a month off" by halting the bombing during Ramadan, Chamberlin said, "That's absolutely right."

Chamberlin said President Musharraf had made some necessary changes to the intelligence service, and noted that Pakistan's very professional military still has enormous credibility in Pakistan, and is respected in Afghanistan as well.

Responding to a question about violent street protests in Pakistan, Chamberlin said that the religious extremist parties who are in the street "represent a very small fringe minority" in Pakistan.

Following is the transcript of Ambassador Chamberlin's interview.

Question: We are going to talk a little bit more about the idea of coalition building now. Wendy Chamberlin is the US Ambassador to Pakistan. She is in Washington at the State Department. Ambassador Chamberlin, good morning to you.

Ambassador Chamberlin: Good morning, John.

Question: Back to see your two daughters, I understand, for the first time since the bombing began?

Ambassador Chamberlin: Yes, I am. And I am also back to be here on hand when President Musharraf visits New York and has dinner with our President Bush, which is a very special event.

Question: What did you and Secretary Rumsfeld say to General Musharraf to get him to calm down about the idea of continuing the bombing campaign through Ramadan?

Ambassador Chamberlin: Well, actually, I think that is a misinterpretation of his position. He has always been in support of a quick and swift end to this war, and he has supported everything that will bring about that quick and short end to it.

He does have concerns, of course, about those religious people who do occupy the noise in his street, but when we talked about the situation, he was very supportive of our conviction that we should continue.

Question: Was he receptive to the idea that it would be in no one's interest, particularly his, to give the Taliban a month off?

Ambassador Chamberlin: That's absolutely right. No, he was not advocating and he did not push hard for us to stop the bombing during Ramadan. He understood the position quickly.

Question: How do you think continuing through Ramadan is going to affect sentiments there in Pakistan and other Muslim countries, particularly as well Southeast Asia?

Ambassador Chamberlin: I think a lot of it depends on how we approach the Arab and Muslim street on this. I think if we explain the importance of resolving the threat of terrorism quickly, that they will embrace this concept as well. I do not see it as a problem.

Question: Now, the Administration has been trying to explain to Muslim nations that many Muslim campaigners, including the Prophet Mohammed, continued to engage in battles during Ramadan. This is all part of a new information campaign the United States has launched. You've got offices in Washington at the White House, London, as well one in Islamabad. Was there a real sense that you were getting behind the curve there on trying to counter Taliban propaganda claims?

Ambassador Chamberlin: I think so. I think it is important to use the media to reach the people and I think this effort is important to do that. Sometimes we have fallen behind but I think we will get on top of the ball on this one.

Question: When Secretary Rumsfeld met with General Musharraf the other day, did he extract from him any kind of guarantees that Musharraf would do all he can to extend the flow of fighters and weapons crossing from the border between Pakistan into Afghanistan?

Ambassador Chamberlin: Let me say, I was not in those talks; I was back here in Washington. But I understand from reports from Pakistan that this did come up. And let me assure you, President Musharraf has been working hard to stop those fighters that crossed the border. But it's a huge border. It's 1,500 miles, very porous, very rugged.

Much of the tribal people who are crossing the border do so in the north, where the government has been bedeviled by lack of control, long before even the Pakistan Government was created during the British time. So getting control of that border is not easy.

Question: There is some suggestion, though, that certain elements within the Inter-Service Intelligence in the Pakistani military are encouraging and aiding and abetting these people?

Ambassador Chamberlin: I would like to discourage you from exaggerating that. The policies of Musharraf have changed 180 since September 11th. He has made some necessary changes within the ISI -- that's the intelligence service. It will take time, really, to turn that whole aircraft carrier around. It's a wide arc. But it is a very loyal military, they are loyal to him and they are loyal to his policies.

Question: Are the intelligence services as valuable to the United States now that they are seen by many moderate Taliban and Pashtuns as being somewhat without credibility now that Musharraf has done that 180 on the Taliban?

Ambassador Chamberlin: I think that it is a very professional military. The intelligence service is part of that military. And I think they still have enormous credibility both within Pakistan and certainly are respected in Afghanistan as well.

Question: Are you confident that General Musharraf is going to be able to keep a lid on the violence growing out of the protests on the streets in Pakistan?

Ambassador Chamberlin: He certainly has done an extraordinarily good job so far. The demonstrations that have occurred have been contained, they have not gotten violent, they have not broken through police lines. And he has not had to call in his military.

You have to understand that the people who are in the street represent a very small fringe minority. These are the religious extremist parties. These are not the four major parties who support the President and support his policies, as does the middle class, the intelligentsia, the silent majority and the military.

Question: Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin, thanks very much for joining us. We'll see you this weekend in New York.

Ambassador Chamberlin: Thank you.