Pak situation ‘obviously complicated’, says US

Condoleezza Rice said that the present condition of Pak was quite complicated, however, US did favour long-term ties.

The situation in Pakistan is “obviously complicated”, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said, but underscored that Washington wants a long-term relationship with “the institutions” of the country and is pushing for a “moderate centre” there.

The United States was “working very hard with the Pakistanis” to ensure that the upcoming general elections will be an opportunity for the country “to get back on the democratic path”, she said.

“The situation in Pakistan’s obviously complicated. But our strong view is that we have to have a long-term consistent, predictable relationship with Pakistan, not with any one person, but with the institutions of Pakistan,” Rice said.

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“And (President Pervez) Musharraf has been a good ally in the war on terror. But our policies have been about strengthening a moderate centre in Pakistan. It’s about helping in efforts to promote better education for Pakistanis,” the Secretary of State said.

The US is trying to help development in the most difficult region — the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and has been involved in assisting the Pakistanis train for the war on terrorism, Rice noted.

“All moderate forces in Pakistan obviously have very determined enemies. And I don’t see how all — any of those interests or any of those tasks change,” she added.