Gilani asks EU to aid Pak Army by supplying weapons, train troop

Islamabad, July 21 (ANI): Pakistan has urged the European Union to aid its troops by immediately supplying sophisticated weapons and impart training in a bid to enable it defeat terrorism.

"Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has called upon the European Union to render immediate assistance to Pakistan in capacity building for its law-enforcement agencies through imparting training and supply of much needed sophisticated weapon systems to enable Pakistan to eliminate militancy and terrorism from its soil," The Dawn quoted a press statement issued by Pakistan prime minister's office after his meeting with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Gilani also called for creation of economic opportunities in terror-affected areas to address the root causes of terrorism.

Insisting that the EU should economically favour militancy-hit countries so that they could recoup their losses, Gilani asked the EU to support Pakistani negotiations for a free trade agreement so that the country's goods can get a greater market access in the EU markets.

"The prime minister asked the European Union to create a new category in GSP Plus arrangement for countries suffering from terrorism in order to separate Pakistan's case from other countries aspiring for GSP Plus facilities," the statement read.

Earlier, acknowledging that Pakistan was passing through a difficult phase, Solana had assured that the EU was working on a proposal to give Pakistan more access to its markets.

In April, the EU granted 150 million euros in humanitarian assistance to Pakistan, in addition to 485 million euros pledged at a donors' conference. (ANI)