Kerry Lugar Bill 'conditions' were drafted with Pak Army's acquiescence: Berman India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

While the Pakistan Army has been raising questions over some of the conditionalities attached with the Kerry-Lugar Bill, saying it is against nation's sovereignty and integrity, a top US Diplomat has said that the outline of the bill was in fact prepared in consultation with Pakistan's Armed Forces. Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Howard Berman said the Pakistani military was familiar with provisions made in the bill while it was tabled in the US House and Senate. "I've been in touch with them (the military) through this whole process. I've spoken with Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. It's a common strategy," Berman told a foreign news agency. Berman said the Obama Administration wants to work with the Pakistan government and help the troubled nation in its fight against terrorism and assist it in safeguarding its nuclear establishments. "This joint strategy is that we want to assist their efforts to take on the counterinsurgency, to disband terrorist groups within Pakistan, to protect their nuclear facilities from proliferation," he said. Berman pointed out that the hue and cry being made in Pakistan over the bill was being done for political motives. "This is a created crisis, by people who either haven't read the bill or don't want to describe it accurately, and whose goal is either to destabilise the government, or challenge some of the military's priorities," The Daily Times quoted Berman,as saying. It may be noted that Berman is the House sponsor of the Kerry Lugar Bill that was drafted by Senate sponsors John Kerry and Richard Lugar.