United States Pledges Continued Cooperation with Pakistan

18 August 2008

Outgoing Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf salutes as he leaves the presidential house in Islamabad, Pakistan, 18 Aug 2008

Rice says U.S. grateful for outgoing president’s cooperation against terror

By Stephen Kaufman
Staff Writer

Washington -- The Bush administration expressed strong support for Pakistan’s democratically elected government and pledged its continued partnership with the country in the aftermath of President Pervez Musharraf’s resignation.

In an August 18 statement, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, “Respect for the democratic and constitutional processes … is fundamental to Pakistan's future and its fight against terrorism,” and offered U.S. support for the civilian government’s desire to modernize the country and build democratic institutions.

Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan for nine years, resigned August 18 after political rivals in the newly elected parliament threatened to impeach him over actions such as imposing emergency rule and firing judges during his tenure in office.  He took power in a 1999 military coup but agreed to abandon his military command in late 2007.

Secretary Rice said the outgoing president has the “deep gratitude” of the United States for being “one of the world's most committed partners in the war against terrorism and extremism.”  She said the United States will continue to work with Pakistan’s government and political leaders and urge them not only to combat the growth of violent religious extremism, but also to address food and energy shortages, and improve economic stability.

“The United States will help with these efforts to see Pakistan reach its goal of becoming a stable, prosperous, democratic, modern, Muslim nation,” Rice said.  (See the full text of Rice's statement.)

In an interview with Fox News on August 17, Rice said Musharraf had been a “good ally” of the United States.  “Everyone knows that we disagreed with his decision in terms of the state of emergency that he declared.  But … he kept to his word, he took off the uniform, [and] it’s now a democratic government in Pakistan,” she said.

In Crawford, Texas, near the ranch where President Bush is vacationing, National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said August 18 the political transition had been a decision taken solely by the Pakistani government and President Musharraf.

“These are issues that they're going to have to work through their political process,” he said.  As far as Pakistan’s continued cooperation against terrorism, he said, “This is a fight that they are in, as well.”

He said al-Qaida leaders recently had released a video threatening the Pakistani government. Thousands of Muslims, including Pakistanis, have been killed by al-Qaida and other extremist groups.

“So we're all in this together, and the people of Pakistan and the government of Pakistan know that.”

Along with counterterrorism cooperation, the United States remains committed to providing social and humanitarian aid to the people of Pakistan and is “devoted to helping improve education, health care and infrastructure,” Johndroe said.

“We want to help the people of Pakistan get through their food emergency [and] … the concern they have and that we have over the economic condition of Pakistan.  And so we're confident that we will maintain a good relationship with the government of Pakistan,” he said.