France would help Pakistan to meet challenges
Posted on May 19, 2009
ISLAMABAD: General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani Chief of Army Staff intensely visited France where he met President of France Nicholas Sarkozy.
The French President Sarkozy expressed desire to have Pakistan as its strategic partner, a news release of ISPR said here Tuesday. President Sarkozy said France would help Pakistan build up its capabilities to meet
challenges.
The COAS also held separate meetings with French Foreign Minister, Minister for Defence, Chief of French Defence Staff and Chief of French Army Staff.
Earlier, Gen Kayani visited French Army Headquarters. On his arrival, an impressive guard of honour ceremony was held by a smartly turned out contingent of French Army. The Army Chief was presented Legion of Merit
Award. On Tuesday, Army Chief General Kayani held talks with NATO officials in Brussels as the country’s army pushed on with its offensive against militants in the Swat valley and surrounding districts.
NATO and Pakistani officials in Brussels gave no details of the agenda. However, the meeting comes as the US presses for closer coordination of military and civilian efforts on both sides of the Pakistani-Afghan border.
Kayani last visited NATO in November, when he urged the alliance’s military commanders to focus on winning the population’s backing in those areas to prevent Taliban and al-Qaeda militants from using them as safe
havens.
Kayani arrived in Brussels from a one-day visit on Monday to Paris, where he met President Nicolas Sarkozy and top French government and military officials. Pakistan army is engaged in major combat in Swat, in response to attempts by armed militants to solidify their
hold on the region.
Analysts said Kayani’s visit highlighted increasing cooperation in the fight against Taliban militants on both sides of the border.
“Alliance commanders will obviously be very keen to get a sense of how sustained the Pakistani operation will be and what its ultimate goals are,” said Shada Islam, head of the Asia programme at the European Policy
Centre, a Brussels-based think tank.
NATO has nearly 60,000 troops in neighbouring Afghanistan, and alliance commanders have frequently called on Pakistan to stamp out cross-border infiltration by armed militants.
Tags: Chief of Army Staff, Chief of French Army Staff, Chief of French Defence Staff, France, French Foreign Minister, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Minister for Defence, NATO and Pakistan, Pakistani-Afghan border, The French President Sarkozy
