Japan offers help to fight terrorism in Pakistan as foreign ministers meet

May 3rd, 2008 Aimon · No Comments

Japan’s foreign minister offered assistance Saturday to Pakistan’s newly elected government in its fight against terrorism, the Pakistani prime minister’s office said
Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, who is on a two-day visit to Pakistan, made the offer during talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the capital, Islamabad, Gilani’s office said in a statement.

Pakistan is a key ally of Washington in the war on terror and has deployed thousands of troops in tribal regions near Afghanistan, where U.S.-led coalition forces are fighting Taliban and al-Qaida fighters.

The South Asian nation recently initiated peace talks with militants in the country’s tribal areas and planned to launch development projects in hopes of curbing the activities of Islamic militants on its side of the border.

Japan, another key U.S. ally, has refueled ships since 2001 in support of U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan. However, its main support has been in the form of financial assistance to the Afghan government.

Gilani told Komura that the world community “has to do more” to support Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism. Komura “appreciated” Pakistan’s role and assured it of support for development programs in its least developed areas, which include the militancy plagued northwest, the statement said.

It provided no details, but Komura later signed an agreement to extend soft loans worth US$478 million (�309 million) to Pakistan for power, irrigation and road projects.

Komura met later with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who told reporters that Pakistan was engaging “peace-loving tribal people” and that it would not compromise with terrorists.