WASHINGTON: The US State Dept spokesperson Ned Price has asserted that Washington values its longstanding cooperation with Pakistan.
Briefing in Washington on Tuesday, Ned Price said that US Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman did have an opportunity to meet with the Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
He said that we meet with and speak with Pakistan’s officials regularly on a range of issues. There is a democratically elected government in Pakistan and we respect it, he added.
He said that there are a number of areas where our interests are aligned. The stability and the future of Afghanistan and the Afghan people, the security challenges in the region, and potentially beyond face there always are on the agenda when we have high-level engagements with our Pakistani counterparts.
Answering a question regarding measures to make sure that the flood relief assistance reaches the deserving people, Ned Price said we have adequate tracking mechanisms in this context. USAID staff makes regular trips to monitor our programs in the field.
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The stability and future of Afghanistan and the Afghan people and security challenges in the region are always on the agenda when we have high-level engagements with our Pakistani counterparts. We meet and speak with them regularly on a range of issues,” he said.
The two countries constantly discuss issues, including the security situation and challenges in the region, he said.
Ned Price said that there is an adequate tracking mechanism for the money given to help the flood victims to ensure the aid lands in their deserving hands. The representatives of the US government and USAID visit the affected areas and submit reports regularly, he noted.
He said that USAID staff make regular trips to monitor the US government’s programs in the field.
The US team visited at least ten districts in Sindh and Balochistan last month to assess not only the humanitarian conditions but also the response activities, he said. This was done to make sure that the response activities meet the humanitarian needs, he said.
USAID also works with local partners and organizations that have extensive knowledge of the affected areas and population, he said.