08 February 2002

Bush-Musharraf Talks to Focus on Terrorism, Aid, Other Issues

Meetings between President Bush and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf February 12-14 will focus on a host of issues "that relate to our renewed bilateral relationship," said State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher.

"Continued cooperation with Pakistan in the coalition against terrorism is obviously one of the most prominent issues," Boucher said at his daily press briefing February 8.

Other issues include U.S. aid to support economic and educational reform in Pakistan, the reconstruction process in Afghanistan, Indo-Pakistani relations, and the search for the kidnapped journalist Daniel Pearl.

Regarding aid for Pakistan, Boucher said that the United States has identified $600 million to support the country's economic and educational reform programs as well as "its restoration of democratic, civilian rule." This aid package comes as a result of previous discussions between Musharraf and Secretary of State Colin Powell, Boucher said.

On the military standoff between India and Pakistan, Boucher said that Secretary Powell has been in periodic contact with both Musharraf and Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh and that the United States remains "encouraged by the willingness of both sides to resolve the situation politically and diplomatically."

"But I don't want anybody to think the situation is not tense. There are still issues there that need to be dealt with," he said.

Boucher said the United States is closely cooperating with Pakistani police to locate and free Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. He repeated the U.S. call to release Pearl, saying "his continued detention is no help to the cause of those who hold him."

Following is an excerpt from Boucher's February 8 briefing:

Question: Do you have anything on the Daniel Pearl case? Apparently, there were some arrests made in Pakistan today, or late yesterday.

Mr. Boucher: As I believe we have been for the recent days, we are going to be rather reticent and somewhat careful in this situation, because our primary concern, as I'm sure everyone's is, is the safe and rapid release of Mr. Pearl. We are fully engaged in that goal, but until it happens, we don't want to get into details of what may or may not be going on in the investigation.

I would just say generally the Pakistani police in our view have made progress in their efforts. U.S. law enforcement officials are assisting them. We hope they are able to locate and free Mr. Pearl as soon as possible. They have made arrests, and they are aggressively continuing their investigation. Cooperation is very close.

We have also remained in close touch, both from the Department here and our Embassy in Islamabad, our Consulate General in Karachi, with Mr. Pearl's family and with the Wall Street Journal. Once again, I'd reiterate our view that Mr. Pearl should be released immediately and unconditionally. His continued detention is no help to the cause of those who hold him. And I'll leave it there.

Question: Can we stay on Pakistan?

Mr. Boucher: Can we stay on Pakistan?

Question: Well, actually it's real quick, on President Musharraf. He is possibly --

Mr. Boucher: That's Pakistan.

Question: Isn't that Pakistan?

Mr. Boucher: That's okay. On President Musharraf.

Question: Okay, we'll make an exception.

Question: He's coming next week, or is here, or what date? Do you have details of his --

Mr. Boucher: I have a little bit. He is coming the 12th through the 14th for an official working visit. President Musharraf will meet with the President, the Vice President, Secretary Powell and other administration officials. For details on the other parts of his schedule, you will have to check with the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.

In our meetings with him, of course, we will be discussing a wide range of issues that relate to our renewed bilateral relationship. Continued cooperation with Pakistan in the coalition against terrorism is obviously one of the most prominent issues. Our desire to continue to support Pakistan's programs of economic and educational reform, and its restoration of democratic civilian rule are also important issues for us. And furthermore, we will discuss the process of peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan, and the current Indo-Pakistani tensions.

Question: When you -- the desire to assist the economic and educational reforms, are we talking money? And do you have -- I mean, I assume you're talking money, and I want to know how much it is at this point.

Mr. Boucher: Yes, we're talking money. We have -- this Fiscal Year, I think, we have identified $600 million for those kind of programs to support -- in economic support for the Pakistani Government so that they could carry out those programs. This is the direction that President Musharraf set in his discussions with Secretary Powell last fall, and again earlier this year. And that's what we intend to support and continue supporting.

So there's other monies that we have made available to the Pakistani Government and various reasons, but the primary use of that $600 million in economic support funds was going to be for these kinds of programs. I'm not sure if we have been able to identify exact amounts from next year's budget yet, but I'll check on that.

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Question: Back on Pakistan, the Secretary, in the month after December 13th, spent an awful lot of time on the telephone with leaders from both India and Pakistan. Has he had such conversations lately?

Mr. Boucher: Yes. Funny you should ask; this one I have handy.

Wednesday, he talked to both Foreign Minister Singh and President Musharraf on that. And as you know, he has been continuing periodic contacts with those two leaders about the situation.

Question: Well, is he still as optimistic now as when he left the region a few weeks ago?

Mr. Boucher: We remain encouraged by the willingness of both sides to resolve the situation politically and diplomatically. We continue to work with both sides to make sure that we find ways to pursue that course.

But I don't want anybody to think the situation is not tense; there are still issues there that need to be dealt with. And the two sides need to look at, obviously, in the longer term, trying to see if they can't get back to a dialogue with each other that canresolve some of the more fundamental issues there.