US interested in development of Gawadar Port: Crocker
ISLAMABAD, May 19 (APP): The US Ambassador to Pakistan, Ryan C Crocker Wednesday said his country was interested in development of Gawader Port as it would increase economic development in Pakistan and also in the entire region. Speaking to the business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said the United States wanted to facilitate Pakistani businessmen in the USA as both the countries have strong and productive business ties. About the Pak-US Investment Treaty, he said the third round of the treaty would be held in Washington in September.
He said the United States wanted active and productive economic ties with Pakistan as major US retailers were taking keen interest to invest here. The exports of Pakistani goods to USA have recorded seven per cent increase during 2004-05, showing that the economy was moving in the right direction, he added. The envoy said US investment in Pakistan was increasing and the potential was far greater in the years to come. Crocker said it was encouraging that the present government of Pakistan was providing strong support to foreign investment, adding that progress on intellectual property rights and Anti Money Laundering Law, which were in the parliament, would help resolve the concerns of the US companies. He said the US government was providing assistance to the US businessmen to invest in Pakistan.
He said the US would provide US$ 300 million during the current fiscal year to Pakistan for poverty reduction, health, education and social sector. Crocker said the US government was fully aware of the necessity to engage itself with the private sector. He said with the help of ILO, the USA was providing funds to Sialkot Chamber of Commerce to help resolve the issue of child labour in Sialkot. Ryan C Crocker said the consortium of 50 US companies which was working to invest one trillion dollar in the world has also shown its interest to invest in Pakistan.
The United States has also provided $75 million to Higher Education Commission for post graduate studies for Pakistani students in the USA. He said such moves would encourage people to people contacts as these students were the unofficial ambassadors of Pakistan in the USA and who would ultimatly come here to contribute in the development of their country. He said the United States gave top priority to enhance economic and commercial ties with Pakistan. The CEO of OPEC recently visited Pakistan and they are spending $ 300 million to assist US companies in Pakistan. Lauding the role of Pakistan as a front-line state in the war against terrorism, he said, the US wanted to build long term multi-faceted relationship with Pakistan.
He said being the strategic partner, President Bush during President Musharraf's visit to the US in 2003 announced $ three billion assistance package for Pakistan, he added. Realising the role of Pakistan, he said the USA would provide advance version of F-16 aircraft to meet the defence requirements of Pakistan. Praising the arrest of Abu Faraj Hashim, the US envoy said, it was a great success and the US applauds it as it would discourage the motives of terrorists network. About the problems of Pakistani businessmen travel to the USA, he said, the 9/11 incident changed a lot of things in the world in general and particularly in the USA.
"We want to encourage visitors to the USA and we are going to streamline it," he added. The US envoy assured the business community that access to commercial counsellor section, visa and security related issues would be discussed to ease business travel to USA. Earlier, President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tariq Saddiq in his welcome address informed the US envoy about the problems being faced by the business community of Pakistan with the implementation of WTO. He said after elimination of quota regime, from January 1, 2005 Pakistan's textile and clothing sectors, which is 70 percent of its trade with US has come under tremendous strain and called for more concessions.
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Sardarzada

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God is dead! God remains dead! And we have killed him! How shall we console ourselves, the most murderous of all murderers? The holiest and the mightiest that the world has hitherto possessed, has bled to death under our knife....