DATE=6/16/2000 TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT TITLE=PAKISTAN'S PLEDGE NUMBER=5-46513 BYLINE=ED WARNER DATELINE=WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: With occasional protests and interruptions, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar gave a press briefing in Washington (Friday)defending his nation's military government, which he said will make the reforms necessary for restoring democracy and curtailing terrorism. VOA's Ed Warner reports his remarks, the response of skeptics in the audience and some thoughts of a longtime American analyst. TEXT: Under intense pressure from the United States, Pakistan's military government has promised to crack down on many of the religious schools thought to encourage terrorism. It has also urged the Taleban in Afghanistan to expel Pakistanis and others accused of terrorist acts. Whether Pakistan will really do this remains an open question, says Karl Inderfurth, U-S Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia. It will, insists Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar, who came to Washington for talks at the U-S State Department. In a press briefing at the National Press Club, he said his government, which came to power in a coup last October, wants to root out corruption in order to restore democracy in the parliamentary elections of 2002. He stressed his government's determination to shut down any potential terrorist camps in Pakistan and to urge the Taleban to do the same in Afghanistan. But he added that extremism flourishes in a country laid waste by decades of war and further damaged by economic sanctions: // Sattar act // We understand U-S concerns relating to Afghanistan and what is described as Islamic militancy. Pakistan's own influence with the Afghans, who are fiercely independent people, is limited. But whatever influence we have, we will use it with the Afghans to ensure that the Afghan territory is not used against the interests of the United States or any other friendly country. // end act // Some members of the audience took strong exception to that statement. Reflecting a considerable body of opinion, they said Pakistan is a principal supporter of the Taleban and should own up to it. Outside, a group of protestors made the same point, including an Afghan woman who had been removed from the press briefing for waving an anti-Taleban placard: // protestor on street // Afghanistan is occupied by Pakistan and maybe other forces. We are here to tell the world and the Pakistanis to get out of Afghanistan and let Afghanistan live in peace as an independent country. We want Afghanistan to be independent and void of occupation and invasion by foreign forces. // end act // Pakistan has problems of terrorism, says Milt Bearden, a former senior CIA official with experience in South Asia. But it has also responded to them: // Bearden act // If you had to list countries that have been the most helpful with the United States in combating international terrorism, you would probably come up with Pakistan first and either Egypt or Jordan second. In fact, we would not have many people in jail, either convicted or awaiting trial, if it were not for Pakistan. // end act // Mr. Bearden says Pakistan gets little credit for this help, a point emphasized by Foreign Minister Sattar: // Sattar act // Pakistan desires strong positive relations with the United States. Our national sentiment overwhelmingly favors social and economic progress, development and integration with the world. However, sanctions and relentless U-S pressures and negative images in the media are not helpful to those who advance an agenda for modernization. // end act // Critics say the best way for Pakistan to acquire a better image is to earn it by making the reforms the military government has promised. (signed) NEB/EW/PT 16-Jun-2000 18:47 PM EDT (16-Jun-2000 2247 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .