President Asif Ali Zardari arrived here Monday to lead Pakistan's delegation at the 63rd session of United Nations General Assembly. Besides addressing the world top forum.
The President is scheduled to meet leaders from a number of countries including President Bush, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China, President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad of Iran, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, President of France Nicolas Sarkozy, President of Turkey Abdullah Gul, President of Brazil Luiz Ino Lula da Silva Afghan President Hamid Karzai and South Korean Prime Minister.
Arrangement for his meeting with US presidential candidate John McCain is yet to be finalised. Zardari is also expected to talk to Democratic presidential candidate Barrack Obama on phone to discuss the situation in Pakistan's tribal areas and Afghanistan.
Analysts are of the view that it would be very difficult for President Zardari to convince the American Administration that Pakistan Army, especially Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), is fully co-operating with the government to wipe out terrorists from the tribal areas.
The President will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Naveed Qamar, Information Minister Sherry Rehman, Advisor to Prime Minister on National Security Mahmoud Ali Durrani and senior officials. In his address to General Assembly, the President is expected to spell out priorities of his government in security and economic areas.
Soon after his arrival here, the President will meet Deputy Secretary of US Treasury Robert M Kimmitt. In the evening, he will attend the banquet to be hosted by President George Bush in honour of the heads of states and governments attending the UN meeting. He will also have a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
A special conference aimed at evolving a comprehensive plan to provide urgently-needed economic assistance to Pakistan would also take place on September 26 on the sidelines of UN summit of world leaders. The 'Friends of Pakistan' will be hosted by President Asif Ali Zardari and would be attended by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and other representatives of the G-8 countries including France, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada, China, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The conference will assess Pakistan's needs and come up with short-term and long-term strategies to help the country come out of its economic hardships. Analysts are of the view that economic assistance, if any to be committed by the Friends of Pakistan, would be based on Pakistan's commitment to war on terror as they would press for 'do more' policy.
During the visit, the President has interviews lined up with the Washington Post, CNN and the Wall Street Journal. Democratic vice presidential candidate Josehp Biden will also call on President Zardari and discuss US-Pakistan relations. Biden is a key sponsor of a landmark legislation pending before Congress on increasing US assistance for Pakistan to $1.5 billion annually for a period of ten years.
The President is scheduled to meet leaders from a number of countries including President Bush, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China, President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad of Iran, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, President of France Nicolas Sarkozy, President of Turkey Abdullah Gul, President of Brazil Luiz Ino Lula da Silva Afghan President Hamid Karzai and South Korean Prime Minister.
Arrangement for his meeting with US presidential candidate John McCain is yet to be finalised. Zardari is also expected to talk to Democratic presidential candidate Barrack Obama on phone to discuss the situation in Pakistan's tribal areas and Afghanistan.
Analysts are of the view that it would be very difficult for President Zardari to convince the American Administration that Pakistan Army, especially Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), is fully co-operating with the government to wipe out terrorists from the tribal areas.
The President will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Naveed Qamar, Information Minister Sherry Rehman, Advisor to Prime Minister on National Security Mahmoud Ali Durrani and senior officials. In his address to General Assembly, the President is expected to spell out priorities of his government in security and economic areas.
Soon after his arrival here, the President will meet Deputy Secretary of US Treasury Robert M Kimmitt. In the evening, he will attend the banquet to be hosted by President George Bush in honour of the heads of states and governments attending the UN meeting. He will also have a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
A special conference aimed at evolving a comprehensive plan to provide urgently-needed economic assistance to Pakistan would also take place on September 26 on the sidelines of UN summit of world leaders. The 'Friends of Pakistan' will be hosted by President Asif Ali Zardari and would be attended by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and other representatives of the G-8 countries including France, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada, China, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The conference will assess Pakistan's needs and come up with short-term and long-term strategies to help the country come out of its economic hardships. Analysts are of the view that economic assistance, if any to be committed by the Friends of Pakistan, would be based on Pakistan's commitment to war on terror as they would press for 'do more' policy.
During the visit, the President has interviews lined up with the Washington Post, CNN and the Wall Street Journal. Democratic vice presidential candidate Josehp Biden will also call on President Zardari and discuss US-Pakistan relations. Biden is a key sponsor of a landmark legislation pending before Congress on increasing US assistance for Pakistan to $1.5 billion annually for a period of ten years.
No comments:
Post a Comment