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Clinton visit

to be historically

important: Consul

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: John Bennet, US Consul General, said on Friday that President Bill Clinton's visit to Pakistan on March 25 would be historically important, both bilaterally and regionally.

The consul general was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the Second Annual Hamdard Symposium on the theme of "Healthcare in the Third Millennium" held at a local hotel.

He said President Clinton's decision to come to Pakistan was a very personal one. Some people had advised the President to avoid Pakistan's visit during his South Asian tour to demonstrate American displeasure with the events of October 12, 1999.

He said, "In fact, that action would have been welcomed by the very anti-democratic and militant elements in Pakistan that represent a long-term threat to the country." It should have disheartened those who stood for secular, Western-oriented democracy for 50 years. "We do not want to break faith with them," he added.

Bennet said President Clinton is convinced that his decision to visit Pakistan on March 25 is the right one to best protect the interest of the American people. "And, I fervently hope, it will add to the integrity of Pakistan's rebirth in this new millennium."

He said the upcoming visit of President Clinton to Pakistan took a long time "perhaps, to come to a yes. "The president's trip is important to a number of key US national interests, and the theme was to continue and expand on American engagement with Pakistan.

Bennet listed four principal interests : avoiding the threat of a conflict in South Asia; promoting the return of democracy to Pakistan; preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and, creating an environment of regional peace and security.

He said, " These items on our agenda may seem somewhat distant from 'Health care in the Third Millennium' but let me assure you, without progress on them the aims of this symposium would be blunted."

Bennet paid tributes to the services of the late Hakim Mohammed Said for the cause of health education and health services extension in Pakistan.

He said in fact 'engagement' is the underlying aim of this conference as well as what NGOs such as Save the Children Fund, Mercy Corps, and Social Marketing, and the international organisation ICRC are, at the end of the day, doing.

"So how do we achieve engagement? In another context, Ambassador Bill Milan has suggested that we should focus on what we have in common and fortify the academic, commercial, cultural, and political ties that unite us Ñ and there are many of them Ñ rather than indulge in empty theories about the clash of civilization conjured out of thin air."

He said whether it is health care or international politics, this is where it begins. "To resolve problems Ñ whether medical, policing, human rights, or potential conflict Ñ it must be through engagement and that only can begin by searching out what we have in common."

Others who addressed the inaugural session included former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Chancellor of the Hamdard University Ajmal Mian, vice-chancellor of the Hamdard University, Prof. Dr. Manzoor Ahmed, chairman of the symposium organising committee Prof. Raja G. Asghar, and Maj. Gen. Iftikhar Malik (Retd).

The speakers highlighted the health care, and policy issues, role of multinational pharmaceuticals, health care needs of the poor and the necessity of undertaking research.