Washington, Oct 31: Former US Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright has described Pakistan as an "international
migraine" and argued that the South Asian country will be one
of the hot spots that the next American president will have to
contend with.
Albright, who served President Bill Clinton in his
second term of office, said Pakistan gives you "an
international migraine" with its range of problems linked to
nuclear weapons, corruption, poverty, extremism and a weak
government.
The former Secretary of State described nuclear-armed
and poverty stricken Pakistan as one of the hot spots when she
was asked on CNN to reflect on the challenges for the next
President who will assume office in January 2009.
"Pakistan. Pakistan has everything that gives you an
international migraine," she underlined.
"It has nuclear weapons, corruption, poverty,
extremism, a terrible financial situation, a government that's
just come in that's not very strong, and it is in a location
that is absolutely essential in terms of dealing with
Afghanistan. So the kind of Afghanistan-Pakistan part, and
then the Iraq issues and the neighborhood there," Albright
stressed as she reflected on the challenges for the next
President.
The former top US diplomat also highlighted the
problems linked to nuclear proliferation in regard to North
Korea and Iran.
"I think we know what the really serious issues are.
They have to do with nuclear proliferation, and Kim Jong-il
and North Korea and whether those talks will really be carried
out. What happens with Iran," Albright said in the interview.
5 Pakistanis in Guantanamo prison
Five Pakistanis are currently
being held in Guantanamo Bay, the US detention facility in
Cuba, a foreign office spokesman said here today.
The government has secured the repatriation of 68
Pakistani detainees from the prison since 2003 and is in
regular contact with the Office of War Crimes in the US
Department of State regarding treatment of the other detainees
and their early repatriation, the spokesman said.
"We are committed to seek the return of all Pakistani
detainees back to the country," he said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, October 31, 2008, 00:00