Zardari urges US for fast track reimbursement of $1.6 billion outstanding Coalition Support

President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday called upon the US for fast track reimbursement of outstanding Coalition Support Fund of 1.6 billion dollars and early realization of the Tokyo pledges to ensure economic stability of Pakistan. The President said this while talking to the US President Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke, who called on him here Tuesday afternoon and discussed a wide range of issues concerning the two countries. Briefing the media persons after the meeting, spokesman to the President, former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that President Zardari also emphasized the fast tracking of the enactmentof the Biden-Lugar Bill, as well as the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones Bill. Present at the meeting were Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Secretary General Salman Farooqui, Pakistans Ambassador in United States Husain Haqqani and senior officials of the Foreign Office. Holbrooke was assisted by Deputy Secretary of State and Special Assistant to the President on International Economics. Economic Advisor to the Special Envoy was also present on the occasion. The President said that these measures were necessary to expedite the countrys development program and rebuild the infrastructure, as peace dividend to the people was gravely affected by the huge damage caused to infrastructure due to fight against militancy. The spokesman further said the President also impressed upon the US interlocutor the need for channeling assistance through existing institutions and budgetary mechanism, which will strengthen their capacity on the one hand and also avoid overlap and duplication on the other. Farhatullah Babnar quoted the president as saying that Pakistan needed increased market access to the US markets and called upon the US to create special category for conflict- affected countries under its GSP plus program in addition to RoZs. Pakistans energy requirements also came under discussion and President Zardari while welcoming the setting up of an Energy Task Force expressed the hope that significant forward movement will be made in the wake of Secretary of State Hillary Clintons visit to Islamabad next month. During the meeting, the matters concerning the forthcoming rendezvous of FoDP also came under discussion. The President said that a vision for the rehabilitation and reconstruction through a comprehensive consultative process has been finalized, which was shared with the FoDP at its Ministerial meeting in Istanbul last month and was endorsed by the FoDP member countries. The President made out a case for fast tracking the delivery of counter insurgency technology and equipment and investment in education sector, being vital for challenging and changing the militants mindset. Earlier, the president also attended the opening plenary and 5th Annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative and the welcoming reception hosted by former US President Bill Clinton for the heads of state and governments attending the colloquium.

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