THE EU has pledged to give a further €65 million in aid and to work towards a stronger trade relationship with Pakistan to support the government as it fights a Taliban insurgency.
At the first ever EU-Pakistan summit yesterday, President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan would win the struggle against Islamic militancy with international help. But he called on the EU to offer more trade concessions. “What I need is trade, not aid. I am looking for MOUs , not IOUs, and I intend to get them . . . I am an optimist at heart, not a pessimist, and I am always hopeful,” he told journalists.
The EU has decided to boost its humanitarian aid by a further €65 million to help civilians displaced during the recent fighting in the Swat valley. It had already pledged €485 million for the next five years and said it was strongly committed to maximising trade as a way of supporting developing countries such as Pakistan. European Commission president José Manuel Barroso said the EU was open to discussing a free trade agreement with Pakistan. But he made no commitment on an agreement, which could take up to 10 years to negotiate and complete.
The Pakistani army is engaged in a military offensive against Taliban insurgents in the Swat valley, which has forced about two million people to flee their homes. Mr Zardari said the battle against the Taliban had only just begun but “defeat is not an option for us”.
“I’m sure with the . . . help of the world we will be able to fight the war and half the war is the minds of the people,” he added.
The EU is seeking to build a stronger relationship with Pakistan, which is considered a key ally in the ongoing fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Several EU states supply troops to the Nato force in Afghanistan and the EU is involved in peacebuilding efforts in the country. Fears that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal may fall into the hands of Islamic extremists is one of the main reasons the US and EU have renewed efforts to bolster the Pakistani government in recent months.