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Pakistan's fears allayed

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: The U.S. State Department on Tuesday sought to allay worries in Pakistan that a possible defeat for the Republicans in the mid-term elections may upset its hard-worked equation with Washington.

Richard Boucher, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, who is on a visit here told a press conference that the relations were unlikely to change for the foreseeable future.

"If you look at U.S. support for war against terrorism, its support for Afghanistan, partnership for Pakistan has gone across the board in U.S. politics. There is strong support from all parties. I don't doubt this. I do not expect any change after the U.S. elections," he said to a number of questions on this.

He said the relations enjoyed not just the support of the President but of the legislative branch and key members of the Congress.

Reiterating that Pakistan was a key ally in the "war on terror," he said the U.S. would continue working with it.

The State Department official met President Pervez Musharraf earlier in the day, and was due to meet Prime Minister Sahukat Aziz and National Security Council secretary Tariq Aziz later.

He had a meeting with Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri on Monday.

Strategic ties

Pakistan and America faced the threat of the same kind of violence, and media opinion that President Musharraf was not doing enough against terrorism and militancy were not borne out by facts on the ground, Mr. Boucher said at the press conference, held at the house of U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker.

Describing Washington's relations with Islamabad as "long-term" and strategic, he said both in Afghanistan and in Pakistan, the U.S. intended to stay for "as long as it takes".

"We are here for a long time. This is a key part of the world for us. We will continue to put in time and resources both for Pakistan and Afghanistan," he said.

The U.S. wanted to see Afghanistan emerge as a stable and modern economic state, and would remain committed to this goal, Mr. Boucher said.

Faced with a volley of questions on the air-strike that killed 80 alleged militants in a madrassa in Bajaur in Pakistan's north-west tribal areas, Mr. Boucher denied American involvement, but admitted concern at the anti-U.S. feelings in Pakistan that this had evoked.

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