Pakistan urges quick U.S. action on benefits bill
WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - Pakistani Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin urged the United States on Monday to quickly approve legislation aimed at creating jobs and fighting extremism in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"We need to move early on the ROZs (Reconstruction Opportunity Zones)," Tarin said at a bilateral Trade and Investment Council meeting he co-chaired with U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk.
"We need to create jobs," Tarin said.
The meeting comes at a time when surging violence across northwest Pakistan and the spread of Taliban influence have heightened concerns about insecurity in the nuclear-armed country, an important U.S. ally whose help is crucial to defeating al Qaeda and stabilizing Afghanistan.
The Reconstruction Opportunity Zones were proposed by former President George W. Bush's administration, but never implemented. They would create special zones in the two countries for businesses to make goods that could be sold in the United States without any duties.
Kirk said he believed there was an overwhelming majority in Congress to pass the legislation.
"What we're trying to do is restore healthy communities and give people hope. That's got to happen from the ground up," Kirk said.
The two countries also discussed the need to increase trade among neighbors in South Asia and between that region and countries in Central Asia, a joint statement said.
Other topics were Pakistan's privatization plans, U.S. programs to support exports to Pakistan and bilateral agricultural cooperation programs, the statement said.
President Barack Obama will meet with the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan on May 6-7.
Tarin told Reuters he expected the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones to "be high on the agenda" for that meeting.
"We have been assured that they are trying to fast-track it," Tarin said.
(Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Doug Palmer)
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