Hillary Clinton wants more Pakistan-Afghanistan cooperation

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Sunday sealed off a major trade agreement, while U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged them to cooperate more with each other and fight together against al-Qaida and the Taliban.

Shortly after starting a tour of South Asia aimed at refining the objectives of the increasingly unpopular war in Afghanistan, Clinton attended the ceremony in which the trade ministers of Afghanistan and Pakistan signed a trade agreement. This was achieved after years of negotiations, boosted recently by the United States.
The pact, which lowers restrictions on the transport across the border, must be ratified by the Afghan parliament and cabinet in Pakistan. U.S. officials believe the deal will significantly enhance the ties between the two countries, stimulate development and contribute to the fight against extremists.
“From the beginning the government (White House) has the objective of uniting Islamabad and Kabul,” said Richard Holbrooke, U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. “This is a vivid demonstration of the two countries coming closer.”
Despite the agreement, Clinton faces challenges to ensure that these neighboring countries to cooperate more in the war for nearly nine years. Pakistan has been pressing for more help in the fight against militants accused of launching attacks in the United States and against the militias along the border with Afghanistan.
Clinton landed on Sunday in Islamabad, where he also announced plans to increase development assistance to Pakistan, a country where there is a strong anti-Americanism.
Secretary of State met Sunday with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, who told them that United States plans to help meet the needs of the country’s long-term and is not interested only in safety benefits short term.
Clinton is offering a package of about $ 500 million in new development programs _financiados by a bill passed by Congress last year to triple nonmilitary aid to Pakistan, with 1,500 million dollars a year over the next five years_ to be applied to improve in the areas of water, energy, agriculture and health.