MEXICO, MO – U.S. Senator Kit Bond, Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, today hosted the Chairman of the Senate in Pakistan, Muhammadmian Soomro, for a sit-down on security issues in his hometown of Mexico, Missouri. 

 

“It’s an honor to host Chairman Soomro in a visit to my hometown of Mexico,” said Bond.  “As a nation, Pakistan is critical to keeping Americans safe here at home and our troops safe abroad.  It is essential that our leaders work together to tackle the difficult security challenges facing both our nations.”

 

Today, the two leaders discussed the critical partnership and strategic relationship between Pakistan and the United States.  Bond stressed the importance of working with Pakistan’s elected leaders, like Chairman Soomro, to tackle the serious security issues the two nations share, particularly in the fight against extremist terrorists.  Bond praised Soomro for his openness and willingness to sit down with leaders in Congress and the Administration.  The Senator urged his American counterparts to continue to develop and strengthen this important relationship.

 

In December, Bond returned from a week-long trip to South Asia.  Bond and Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Kerry, met with key foreign, intelligence, and military officials and U.S. Embassy personnel in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

 

Prior to his trip, Bond unveiled his Roadmap to Success in South Asia.  One of the key components to Bond’s report is improved cooperation with Pakistan.  Bond stressed that the United States Government must also dramatically increase our engagement with Pakistan with an eye toward meeting U.S. and Pakistani goals for the region.  The leaders Bond met with in Pakistan in December, and Chairman Soomro whom he met with today, understand the difficulties Pakistan is facing, the importance of fighting the militants, and the need for increased U.S. and international cooperation. 

 

Bond noted seeing the conditions on the ground in Pakistan and Afghanistan in December confirmed the need for a comprehensive strategy in the South Asia region like his report recommends.  Unfortunately, the most striking assessment from his trip was seeing first-hand the failure of a winning strategy in the region.  Since 2002 in Afghanistan, NATO has failed in its responsibility to provide security which threatens the region’s stability and could allow a terrorist safehaven to flourish in the region. 

 

Following today’s one-on-one meeting between Senator Bond and Chairman Soomro the two leaders addressed the Mexico Rotary Luncheon.

 

Mr. Soomro has served as the Chairman of the Senate, the upper house of the Parliament of Pakistan, since February 2003.

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