By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov 4: The United States appears to be hardening its position on the imposition of emergency rule, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice saying on Sunday that Washington will review its financial aid package to Pakistan.
On Saturday, a Pentagon spokesman had told reporters that the US administration had no plans to suspend military aid to Pakistan in response to the declaration of emergency rule.
But Ms Rice, who was in Jerusalem, said President Pervez Musharraf’s decision had forced the US to review its aid of billions of dollars. “Obviously we are going to have to review the situation with aid, in part because we have to see what may be triggered by certain statutes,” a transcript released here quoted Ms Rice as saying.
The Bush administration did not support Gen Musharraf’s move, she told reporters. “I just want to repeat that, of course, the US does not support and it had communicated to the Pakistani leadership prior to this action that it would not support extra-constitutional means,” she said.
Secretary Rice said Gen Musharraf, who earlier had pledged to quit the army and become a civilian president, should return the country to constitutional rule as soon as possible.
However Pentagon pres secretary Geoff Morrell had said earlier: “At this point, the declaration does not impact our military support for Pakistan’s efforts in the war on terror.” He said he had no sense that a review of US military aid to Pakistan was imminent. Another Pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman, called Gen Musharraf’s declaration ‘unfortunate’ but said “close coordination with the Pakistan military on operations continues”.
Mr Morrell said Defence Secretary Robert Gates had no immediate plans to contact his counterpart in Pakistan about the developments. “Obviously, the stakes are high there,” he said.
“Pakistan is a very important ally in the war on terror. And he is closely following developments there. This is something that was closely followed throughout the week. It’s been clear from multiple people in our government that we’re disappointed by Gen Musharraf’s decision to declare a state of emergency.”
Dawn - 5/Nov/2007
WASHINGTON, Nov 4: The United States appears to be hardening its position on the imposition of emergency rule, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice saying on Sunday that Washington will review its financial aid package to Pakistan.
On Saturday, a Pentagon spokesman had told reporters that the US administration had no plans to suspend military aid to Pakistan in response to the declaration of emergency rule.
But Ms Rice, who was in Jerusalem, said President Pervez Musharraf’s decision had forced the US to review its aid of billions of dollars. “Obviously we are going to have to review the situation with aid, in part because we have to see what may be triggered by certain statutes,” a transcript released here quoted Ms Rice as saying.
The Bush administration did not support Gen Musharraf’s move, she told reporters. “I just want to repeat that, of course, the US does not support and it had communicated to the Pakistani leadership prior to this action that it would not support extra-constitutional means,” she said.
Secretary Rice said Gen Musharraf, who earlier had pledged to quit the army and become a civilian president, should return the country to constitutional rule as soon as possible.
However Pentagon pres secretary Geoff Morrell had said earlier: “At this point, the declaration does not impact our military support for Pakistan’s efforts in the war on terror.” He said he had no sense that a review of US military aid to Pakistan was imminent. Another Pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman, called Gen Musharraf’s declaration ‘unfortunate’ but said “close coordination with the Pakistan military on operations continues”.
Mr Morrell said Defence Secretary Robert Gates had no immediate plans to contact his counterpart in Pakistan about the developments. “Obviously, the stakes are high there,” he said.
“Pakistan is a very important ally in the war on terror. And he is closely following developments there. This is something that was closely followed throughout the week. It’s been clear from multiple people in our government that we’re disappointed by Gen Musharraf’s decision to declare a state of emergency.”
Dawn - 5/Nov/2007
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