Press Release of Senator Lugar Lugar Statement on Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2008 Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Below is U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar's statement on the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act.  A fact sheet on the bill is available at http://lugar.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=300696&. A press release on the bill is available at http://lugar.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=300697&.  A copy of the bill is available at http://lugar.senate.gov/sfrc/pdf/Pakistan.pdf. I am pleased to join Chairman Biden in introducing this important legislation to deepen our engagement with Pakistan. We have few more important foreign policy priorities than encouraging stability in Pakistan and throughout the region, and providing sustainable cooperation to fight the terrorists who threaten both our countries. We worked closely with the State Department’s Deputy Secretary Negroponte, as well as officials at USAID, to craft this legislation. This bipartisan effort reflects the important realization that our relations with Pakistan must be broad-based and enduring. As Mr. Negroponte told the committee earlier this year, following the elections that ended military rule, we have “a strategic opportunity to help the nation consolidate its democratic gains by encouraging development and economic reform.”   This legislation marks a good first step toward seizing that opportunity. Its success will be contingent upon effective progress in good governance by the leaders throughout the Pakistan government, and upon their commitment to combating terrorism within their borders. The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate revealed in June of last year that al-Qaeda had reestablished its pre-2001 capacity in the tribal areas of Pakistan. This reconstituted capacity across the border from Afghanistan, together with the extreme Taliban leadership based in Pakistan, represents a threat to Pakistan, to the region, and to the United States.   The legislation recognizes that strengthening democracy and countering terrorism go hand in hand. American Defense, intelligence and State Department officials have all said that economic development and improved governance are at least as critical as military action in containing the terrorist threat.   While our bill envisions sustained cooperation with Pakistan for the long haul, it is not a blank check. It calls for tangible progress in a number of areas, including an independent judiciary, greater accountability by the central government, respect for human rights, and civilian control of the levers of power, including the military and the intelligence agencies. It recognizes that Pakistan will need security assistance to fight the terrorists, but it subjects this assistance to a certification that the government is using the money for its intended purpose, namely, to go after the Taliban and al-Qaeda, and that civilian control is maintained. And it calls for a comprehensive, cross-border approach to the very difficult situation along the adjoining Afghan and Pakistani tribal areas, combining the economic and security aspects.   This bill represents a lot of hard work by many parties, but we recognize the job is not yet done. Passing it into law will require further efforts, first of all by us on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  Then we must take it to the floor of the Senate, where I look forward to working with our chairman on advancing the bill.     Thank you very much.   ###