In a significant remark relevant to Pakistani politics, the UK PM, to a questioner, said if the Pakistani government made a formal request for extradition of former president Pervez Musharraf, Britain would decide according to its law and constitution. �We don�t have any formal extradition treaty but if Pakistan pursued it through legal course then Britain would look into the matter.� His statement was an allusion that no formal request has been made by the government of Pakistan in this regard so far.
Briefing the media, the spokesperson to the President, Farhatullah Babar said that Britain has committed nearly 450 million pounds annual economic and development assistance to Pakistan over four years from 2011. Out of this 650 million pounds have been earmarked for education alone over the next four years.
Prime Minister Cameron recognised the sacrifices made by Pakistan�s military, civil law enforcement agencies and people in fighting violent extremism and militancy, and appreciated the efforts of the democratic government.
The President stressed the need that the two sides should gear up to achieve the objectives set out in the Declaration of Enhanced Strategic Dialogue signed earlier in the day.
He said: �We believe that the National Security Dialogue comprising political, military and intelligence tracks would lead to creating a better understanding in bringing about clarity on issues of peace and security.�
On the Afghan situation, the President said that peace and stability in Afghanistan was necessary for regional peace, and emphasised Afghan-led, rather than foreign-led, peace process in the country.
The President said that any initiative on Afghanistan should ensure Afghan ownership of the process as well as territorial integrity of the country and that its soil was not used against any other country.
President Zardari said that Pakistan offers attractive incentives for foreign investment including foreign equity up to 100% and repatriation of 100% capital and profit.
The President also sought Britain�s support in on GSP Plus, commencement of negotiations for Pak-EU Free Trade Agreement and also the resuming of the export of fisheries products to the EU. He also called for revisiting the suspension of British Airways flights to Pakistan which were suspended after the Marriott terrorist attack in 2008.
Discussing regional situation, the President said that the dialogue process between Pakistan and India has resumed and our prime minister had a very good meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Mohali.
The President later hosted dinner in honour of the British Prime Minister.
Earlier, both sides agreed to establish an Enhanced Strategic Dialogue for a stronger, deeper, franker and more practical bilateral relationship for mutual security, stability and prosperity.
The Foreign Office said the United Kingdom would pursue greater trade access for Pakistan to the European Union including a Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and EU.
Separately, pledging 650 million pounds sterling aid for education sector British Prime Minister David Cameron termed the amity between United Kingdom and Pakistan as unbreakable.
At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, both the PMs vowed to enhance bilateral investment and to take the trade between the two states from pound sterling 1.2 to 2.5 billion by year 1215.
The day-long interaction between the two sides also covered the UK-Pakistan National Security Dialouge.
At the outset of the press conference UK Premier David Cameron said �let me begin by saying without any hesitation that Britain�s friendship with Pakistan is unbreakable.�
The two countries have agreed to try to double bilateral trade to �2.5 billion a year by 2015, he added.
On the security sector, Cameron said that the two sides agreed on police services and intelligence cooperation, besides discussing the importance of Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship. He said that both the countries shared the need of having a peaceful, stable and democratic Afghanistan.
�Pakistan suffered greatly in tackling terrorism and extremism,� he said.
On education, Cameron said that the United Kingdom had launched a new package to help Pakistan in imparting education to four million children, training to 90,000 teachers and provision of six million textbooks.
Responding to a question on spending a huge amount on Pakistan�s education, Cameron said his coalition government had increased the overseas budget by 7.7 per cent of the gross national income as it was in the interest of the United Kingdom to support the poorest in the poor countries in education, maternal health and in fighting poverty.
�Putting money in health, education is an investment to make Pakistan a trading success and a skill success.�
Prime Minister Gilani thanked the United Kingdom for his priority to education, despite the restraints.
Terming illiteracy a root-cause of terrorism, Gilani said that the focus was on education in the FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) and remote areas.
Asked about the visa issues, the British Prime Minister said that the processing had been shifted out of Pakistan �to make it more efficient.�
He said,� under changed rules, the students can now work for two years after completing their education so as to stop the abuse of immigration laws�.
When asked about return of former President Pervez Musharraf to Pakistan, David Cameron said that the two countries did not have any extradition treaty and also a �proper application� is required to be made to proceed in this regard.
Regarding Pakistan�s role on extremism and terrorism, Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan had rendered unprecedented sacrifices and lost more soldiers and civilians than the combined losses of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
�If any credible information and actionable intelligence provided, we are ready to help,� he said to a question.
Meanwhile, addressing students of COMSATS University, British Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain wanted closer ties with India and Pakistan and both the countries have enormous potential for mutual progress as well.
Cameron said that he believed that time is ripe for the two countries to look even further beyond what divides them and embrace what unites them. Cameron said, �I know there are some who claim that in this part of the world, Britain will always side with India and that can be a source of tension. And of course, there have been accusations that in the past, countries in this region have been played off one against the other by the West.�
�I am clear this whole approach of choosing sides is not just wrong. It�s also driven by old-fashioned thinking.�
He said, �It is a hang-up from the Cold War, and as part of a new generation of politicians who entered politics after the Cold War, it�s a hang up he does not have.
�So yes, India is very important to the UK. Pakistan is very important to us too,� he remarked.
He said Britain did not have to choose between a strong relationship with either Pakistan or India and it wanted strong ties with both.
�I know the nature of your relationship is for you to decide. And I know the challenges and the history. And I know too, the recent advances you have made in developing a deeper dialogue. And, naturally I saw those scenes in Mohali. Now, of course Pakistan would have loved a different result and as an Englishman I know how you feel,� he added.
The British Prime Minister said today Pakistan represents just one per cent of all India�s trade and India just 5 per cent of all of Pakistan�s trade.
�Experts say that the potential is there to expand their trade by as much as 50 times. Just think what that would mean for jobs, investment and living standards.�
For the Strategic Dialogue, both sides agreed to the following themes: talks on financial, macro-economic stabilisation and development cooperation will be led by the UK Secretary of State for the Department for International Development and Pakistan�s Finance Minister, alongside officials from across both governments. Discussion will focus on growth, jobs and governance.
The declaration said the UK and Pakistan share a common history. The relationship is visible in the vibrant and diverse Diaspora in the UK and the cultural, linguistic, educational, commercial, economic, family and other ties that the British people and organisations have to Pakistan.
The President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of the UK will actively drive the enhanced Strategic Dialogue forward. Annual meetings at heads of government level will review the bilateral relationship and determine the priorities and objectives for the coming year.
Foreign ministers will meet biannually in both countries to review progress. Relevant ministers will meet to agree the agenda and timings of follow-up meetings.
Senior officials will supplement this work through regular visits. The existing working groups currently operating under the Strategic Dialogue such as the Joint Working Group, Defence Cooperation Forum, Joint Judicial Cooperation Working Group, as well as the Arms Control and Disarmament Dialogue and the annual Development Partnership Review will continue to operate as part of the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue.
Talks on trade promotion will be led by Commerce Ministers, supported by UK Trade and Investment, and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Pakistan�s Ministry of Commerce and other relevant ministries. Discussion will aim at increasing cooperation on trade and investment between the two countries.
As part of UK-Pakistan trade and investment cooperation, the UK will explore ways at improving Pakistan�s competitiveness, including through its work on vocation skills, and actively pursue a progamme of joint activities in key sectors.
The two sides agreed to creation of a civilian-military National Security Dialogue between the UK and Pakistan; comprising discussion on regional security, CT and non-proliferation.
UK�s Ministry of Justice and Pakistan�s Law Ministry will lead exchanges on rule of law issues. This will include strands of work on policing, the judicial system, organised crime, human trafficking and narcotics control.
Further practical cooperation led by Defence and Interior Ministers and involving a wide range of Departments and Agencies from both sides, building on senior contacts, as well as the existing Joint Working Group and Defence Cooperation Forum.
Led by the Development Secretary and Pakistan�s Finance Minister, the UK will support Pakistan to tackle the education emergency including getting more girls into school.
This work will be supplemented by the British Council and the Education Ministers in providing structure for and expansion of higher education and research links in both direction.
Both sides will also promote cooperation in higher education; interaction among academia; student exchange programme; joint research and collaboration in the fields of science and technology and specialized disciplines such as medical sciences.
Both sides will also cooperate in programmes that support capacity building for health professionals and institutions. The two sides will also consider a regular dialogue for cooperation in the health sector.
Work on cultural cooperation will be led by the Ministers of Culture and supported by the British Council.
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, chairperson Conservative Party, Mr Ed Llewellyn, Chief of Staff, Sir Peter Ricketts, National Security Advisor and Adam Thomson, British High commissioner were also present during the meeting with President Zardari.
Pakistan side included Interior Minister Senator A Rehman Malik, Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination and Human Rights M Salman Faruqui, Secretary General to the President, Ms Hina Rabbani Khar who is also Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, Wajid Shamasul Hassan, Pakistan�s High Commissioner to the UK, and spokesperson to the President, Farhatullah Babar.
Agencies add: In a blunt warning to his hosts, the UK Prime Minister anticipated anger at home at handing over such large sums at a time when schools in the UK are facing cuts.
He called on Pakistan to reform its own tax system in order to be able to make better provision for its own public services.
British officials made clear the new aid money is dependent on Pakistan - which has 17 million children not in school - showing it is spending it effectively.
Cash to train 90,000 teachers, build or refurbish 8,000 schools and provide six million text-books will be �backloaded�, so the first year�s funding of �60 million will be followed by significantly larger tranches only if it shows results.
In a lone hint of any criticism, Cameron urged cash-strapped Pakistan to broaden its tax base and tackle corruption.
Cameron pointed out that Pakistan currently spends only 1.5 percent of national income on education and it has one of the lowest tax revenues, compared with the size of its GDP, of any country in the world.
�You are not raising the resources necessary to pay for things that a modern state and people require,� he said. �Too few people pay tax. Too many of your richest people are getting away without paying much tax at all - and that�s not fair.
Cameron also pledged to push the World Trade Organisation to agree on an emergency trade package for Pakistan, proposed last year by the European Union, saying Britain will continue to be the �strongest possible advocate for greater Pakistani access to European Union markets�.
Nine months after accusing Islamabad of turning a blind eye to terrorism while in India, the British leader was determined to put ties on a better footing during his first visit to the frontline state in the war on Al-Qaeda.
�Let�s today make a fresh start in our relationship,� Cameron told an audience of university students in Islamabad.
�Let�s clear up the misunderstandings of the past, work through the tensions of the present and look together to the opportunities of the future.�
Monitoring Desk adds:?The British prime minister admitted on Tuesday that Kashmir issue was a British legacy and action against Libya is being taken in consultation with UN and Arab League, it is not an attack on Islam.
Addressing COMSATS University students, David Cameron said that UK wanted a fresh start in bilateral ties helping Pakistan to become secure, prosperous, open and flourishing. He maintained that Pakistan and India had equal importance for Britain. He also appreciated Yousaf Raza Gilani and Manmohan Singh for watching the semi-final together and termed it a good omen for both the countries. He said that attacks on Libya were not attack on Islam but the action was taken in consultation with the UN and Arab League.
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