Snip ~ March 10, 2010 "The two countries should “stand together and persuade the international community to devise a Marshall Plan for the region to banish the militancy and its effects for all time to come,” Zardari said, referring to the US initiative launched in 1947 to rebuild western Europe after World War II" Link ~ Pakistan calls for ‘Marshall Plan’ to end militancy ...
5/28/2011Hillary's visit to Islamabad helps remove misconceptions - Spokesperson
Islamabad, Pakistan Saturday said that the recent visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Admiral Mike Mullen to Pakistan had helped remove misconceptions and misunderstandings between the two countries to a great extent. The leadership of two countries indicated their concerns during discussions and now they understood each other's perspective in a better manner, said Foreign Office spokesperson Tahmina Janjua during her weekly briefing here.
Spokesperson Janjua said that it became evident during Hilary Clinton's visit that the United States wished to work together with Pakistan and was ready to address its concerns. "It wants to take fully on board Pakistan's core national interests and the United States underscored the concept of partnership and equality during these talks," she said.
The two countries, she said, have agreed that there would be greater transparency and information sharing in the context of joint operations in the future. The two sides, she said further, also agreed to intensify bilateral engagement as well as to recommence preparatory work for strategic dialogue process.
She said that Pakistan and the United States have agreed to continue fight against terrorism, conduct joint operations, share information, ensure return of peace and stability to Afghanistan and facilitate the Afghan-led process for peace and reconciliation.
"Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States have formed a core group to promote the process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan", she said, adding, two meetings of the group had already taken place and the third one would be held by the end of next month in Kabul.
There was realization within the United States that Pakistan had to play a very important facilitating role in any process of reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan.
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2169922&Language=en
