US wants lasting partnership with Pakistan, says official

October 13th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - US Senator Daniel Inouye has rebuffed Pakistani concerns over certain clauses in the Kerry-Lugar Bill, saying the US has no intention of influencing any institution in Pakistan, but only trying to help it. His statement came after Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari told him that were concerns being expressed in certain quarters about some of the provisions of the Kerry-Lugar Bill and that the USA and Pakistan need to work together to alleviate these concerns.

August 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Setting the tone for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's official visit to Washington in November, US ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer Wednesday said the "most tangible results of the partnership" would be announced during the trip.

June 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US House of Representatives has passed a bill proposing to triple US non-military aid to Pakistan to $1.5 billion a year but linking military assistance to Islamabad demonstrating a sustained commitment to combating terrorist groups. The Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement (PEACE) Act 2009 passed by a vote of 234 to 185 Thursday also authorises military assistance to help Pakistan disrupt and defeat Al Qaeda and insurgent elements, and requires that the vast majority of such assistance be focused on critical counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism efforts.

June 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Minister of External Affairs SM Krishna on Friday said India will resume dialogue with Pakistan only if they take concrete measures to prevent terrorist attacks. Talking to reporters here, Krishna said, "There will not be any talks between India and Pakistan unless they take concrete measures to prevent terrorist attacks emanating from Pakistan aimed against India.

May 26th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - India with a new government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should resume the peace proces with Pakistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said. "Cordial and better relations" between Pakistan and India would be not only beneficial for the region but also for the people of both countries, Qureshi said during a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal here Monday.

May 26th, 2009 ABU DHABI - French President Nicolas Sarkozy could visit Pakistan later this year to ink a nuclear cooperation deal between the two countries. According to sources, France and Pakistan are negotiating a nuclear partnership and talks in this regard, are at an advanced stage.

May 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - US President Barack Obama Saturday telephoned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to congratulate him on his victory in the general elections and hoped for a continuity in the India-US strategic partnership, an official said. Manmohan Singh reiterated his invitation to Michelle and Barack Obama to visit India, a key aide to the prime minister said.

May 19th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The US House of Representatives has approved 1.9 billion dollar in aid for Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari's spokesman Farhatullah Babar said. Zardari returned to Islamabad on Monday after concluding an official visit to Libya, the UK, the US and France.

May 13th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a significant move, Pakistan for the first time 'officially' has allowed US Predator drone aircrafts to fly inside its geographical territory to carry out missile strikes against the Taliban and other extremist groups. Under the new partnership, U.S.

April 9th, 2009 JAMMU - Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed Thursday said his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would work to re-initiate peace talks between India and Pakistan. 'With the support of the people the PDP will persuade both India and Pakistan to re-initiate the peace process and take concrete steps for the solution of the Kashmir problem,' Mufti Sayeed said at an election meeting in Mendhar, 200 km north of Jammu.

April 2nd, 2009 LONDON - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama Thursday held their first bilateral talks and agreed to intensify strategic partnership in all areas, including fighting terrorism. Developments in Pakistan and Afghanistan figured prominently in the discussion between the two leaders.

April 1st, 2009 LONDON - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh Wednesday that most of the terrorist attacks in Britain have their origins in Pakistan. The British premier made the comments at the fag-end of a meeting lasting over an hour at his office at 10 Downing Street, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters.

February 23rd, 2009 KARACHI - Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera hit double centuries each en route a record partnership as Sri Lanka consolidated their grip on the first cricket Test against Pakistan at the National Stadium here Sunday. Jayawardene smashed 240, his fifth double-hundred, while Samaraweera scored a career-best 231 as Sri Lanka declared their first innings at 644-7 in 155.2 overs.

February 22nd, 2009 KARACHI - Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera Sunday broke the long-standing world record for the fourth wicket established by England Colin Cowdrey and Peter May against West Indies in 1957. Jayawardene took a single of Shoaib Malik almost 30 minutes before tea on the second day of the first Test against Pakistan to take his partnership with Samaraweera pass 411.

January 2nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Saturday conferred the prestigious civilian award Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam on the Chinese envoy here. Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari gave the award to Chinese diplomat Luo Zhaohui at a ceremony held at the President's House Saturday.