Japan plans to host int'l donors conference for Pakistan in March+

TOKYO, Feb. 2 Kyodo -
The Japanese government is arranging to host an international ministerial-level
donors conference in late March to help Pakistan stabilize its economy,
Japanese government sources said Monday.
Japan envisions the participation of countries such as fellow Group of Eight
member nations and China, the sources said.
Last year, the International Monetary Fund decided on a $7.6 billion emergency
financing package to help Pakistan meet its serious balance of payments
difficulties.
But the Japanese government has determined that the amount was insufficient and
hopes to discuss at the conference additional aid to the country of around
several billion dollars, the sources said.
Japan is apparently hoping the move would help reinforce its ties with the
United States, seeing that President Barack Obama has placed priority on
stabilizing Pakistan and Afghanistan as part of efforts to fight terrorism,
according to the sources.
In his foreign policy address to parliament last week, Foreign Minister
Hirofumi Nakasone reiterated Japan's pledge to step up assistance to
Afghanistan and give support to Pakistan to fight terrorism and stabilize its
economy.
The G-8 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the
United States. The European Union also takes part in the grouping.
==Kyodo
2009-02-02 22:55:32