US envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke dies

Richard Holbrooke, who was President Barack Obama’s special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, died on Monday, an administration official confirmed. He was 69 years old.

The veteran US diplomat, who brokered the 1995 peace agreement that ended the Balkans war, had been a key player in Obama’s efforts to turn around the faltering 9-year-old war in Afghanistan. Holbrooke, who also served as the US ambassador to the United Nations and to Germany and twice was assistant secretary of state, died after surgery on Saturday to repair a tear in his aorta. He fell ill at the State Department on Friday. His portfolio included serving as the US ambassador to the United Nations and Germany and he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize seven times. Holbrooke joined Obama’s administration in 2009 as special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, a tough job co-ordinating the approach to trouble spots that are key foreign policy priorities for Obama. Holbrooke had been very critical of President George W. Bush’s Afghanistan policy. His position in the Obama administration was considered critical as the new president sought to crackdown on Al-Qaeda and a resurgent Taliban in the region.

Pakistan and India must resolve issues: Holbrooke

US has once again denied to act as an unbiased figure in resolving Kashmir issue. Special representative of US Richard Holbrooke has said that Pakistan and India must resolve their conflicts on their own; where as Pakistan also needs to increase its internal resources along with foreign aid for the reconstruction of flood affected areas.

Pakistan and India must resolve their conflicts on their own: Holbrooke

US has once agains denied to act as an unbiased figure in resolving Kashmir issue. Special representative of US Richard Holbrooke has said that Pakistan and India must resolve their conflicts on their own; where as Pakistan also needs to increase its internal resources along with foreign aid for the reconstruction of flood affected areas.

US favours democratically elected govt: Holbrooke

KARACHI: US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has said that the US was against martial law and favours continuation of democratic process in Pakistan.

Responding to a question that US had always supported martial laws in the past, he said what happened in the past was a history and now the US government was supporting an elected government in Pakistan.

“We support a civilian, democratically elected government in Pakistan,” Holbrooke, a top US diplomat, remarked and reiterated it.

The United States tried to showcase its relief efforts for flood victims in Pakistan, an ally considered vital in the war against militancy.

“Our country has donated the most money and the most helicopters,” Richard Holbrooke, the special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told reporters after a visit to Pakistan’s flood-hit

Rabbani chairs meetings on Balochistan package

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Inter-Provincial Coordination Senator Mian Raza Rabbani has chaired two meetings in connection with implementation of Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package held here on June 17 and 18.

View post:
Rabbani chairs meetings on Balochistan package

Holbrooke assures US help in Pak economy

ISLAMABAD: United States (US) Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke on Saturday assured Pakistan that his country would continue providing economic assistance to build its economy on sound footing.

Here is the original: 
Holbrooke assures US help in Pak economy

India-Pakistan Detente Useful: Holbrooke

Richard Holbrooke has said that he has no plans of helping India and Pakistan at the moment. Pakistan is justified to look into matters of security due to its Geographical and Defense condition.
Holbrooke says he would welcome easing of tensions and improving relations between Pakistan and India, however both countries need to work out their own ways to improve their relations. Holbrooke says that during his trips to India he is always asked to play a role to improve relations however Holbrooke said that he is not playing any roles to ease tensions between the two countries.
It is important to have good relations between the two countries to solve the problems of Afghanistan.

---

India-Pakistan Detente Useful: Holbrooke was first posted on January 17, 2010 at 10:37 pm.

Richard Holbrooke Visits Swat, Pakistan

SWAT, Pakistan News: US special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has arrived here on Thursday morning.

According to details, the US envoy will review the progress of rehabilitation process of Swat IDPs, meanwhile tight security measures have been taken and all the shops owners were asked to shut down their shops that is causing difficulties to the residents.

---

Richard Holbrooke Visits Swat, Pakistan was first posted on January 14, 2010 at 12:48 pm.

I Am Not Working on Kashmir: Richard Holbrooke

Washington: Richard Holbrooke, US Special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, says he is not working on the Kashmir issue even as he keeps India closely informed of his effort in the region where “India is hugely important factor.”

“Let me be very clear. I am not working on that problem,” he said at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington think tank, when asked by a Pakistani journalist if the Obama administration was serious about appointing an adviser to resolve the Kashmir issue.

“I don’t even mention the problem I am not working on. That’s a game when I go to India – and I go to India frequently and I look forward to going back soon because we keep the Indians very closely informed of our effort because India is hugely important factor here.”

“But, whenever that question comes up, your Indian journalistic colleagues try to get me to mention the K word and I won’t do it because everybody keeps saying that either I am secretly working on it, or I ought to be working on it,” Holbrooke said.

“Well, they are wrong on both counts. I am not working on that problem,” he reiterated.

The President (Barack Obama) addressed it very clearly as did the Secretary of State (Hillary Clinton) in recent interviews and my job is to work on the civilian side of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Holbrooke said, “we all know how important that issue is – everyone knows it. And, it’s a long tortured history. But, it’s not what I do and it’s not what the countries in the region expect me to do.’

Israeli Attack on Gaza 2 killed, 4 injured

Israeli Attack on Gaza 2 killed, 4 injured, At least two Palestinians have been killed and four others wounded in an Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip.
Gaza hospital sources announced the reception of two bodies late on Monday, along with four other victims who had received medium to critical injuries, after an Israeli tank shelled the eastern Gaza city neighborhood of Shejaeya.
The shelling caused serious damage in the densely populated area, reports say, but there are no more details on the incident. The latest attack comes two days after the Israeli military launched a series of air raids on Gaza, wounding seven people, including children.

---

Israeli Attack on Gaza 2 killed, 4 injured was first posted on November 24, 2009 at 3:54 pm.

Next Page »