Zardari urges US for civil nuclear, drone technologies to reduce trust deficit with Pak
By ANIWednesday, March 17, 2010
ISLAMABAD - Stressing on the need of bridging the massive trust deficit between Pakistan and the United States, President Asif Ali Zardari has once again urged the Obama Administration to help Islamabad with civil nuclear technology and also transfer the drone technology in order to take on the extremists effectively.
During a meeting with the visiting US National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair, Zardari said that the US should address Pakistan’s long standing demands for the drone technology which would help reduce the prevailing anti-American sentiments in the country.
“Civilian nuclear technology will help Pakistan meet its growing energy demand, and the drone technology will lead to wider public acceptability of strikes,” The Daily Times quoted Zardari, as saying.
Zardari also expressed reservations over the new screening system put in place by the US for Pakistani citizens.
Briefing the media about the meeting, Presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said Zardari told Blair that the drone strikes not only infringe Pakistan’s sovereignty, but also undermine national consensus against the ‘war on terror.’
Later, Blair also met Prime Minster Yousuf Raza Gilani who underlined the need of a successful strategic dialogue between America and Pakistan to bridge the trust deficit between the two countries and address prevailing misperceptions. (ANI)
