Assistant Secretary Boucher: Travel to South Asia

From March 30 to April 12, following up on President Bush’s recent visits to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India Ambassador Boucher has traveled to those three countries as well as to Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic, meeting with Embassy staff, government officials, organizations and private individuals.  In Afghanistan he participated in a conference of Afghans and Central Asians on building economic cooperation and discussed reconstruction, economic development, drug eradication and coordination of Afghan and international efforts to deal with extremists and improve security.  In Pakistan Ambassador Boucher focused on strengthening bilateral economic ties, energy cooperation, counter terrorism, democratization and strengthening educational institutions.  In India the main topics of interest were building our economic relationship, continuing to move ahead on the Civil Nuclear Cooperation initiative and Nepal.  In Kazakhstan his agenda included increasing regional cooperation, security and strengthening democratic institutions.  In the Kyrgyz Republic he discussed regional integration, strengthening civil society and the media, constitutional reform and corruption.

Remarks by Assistant Secretary Boucher
--04/11/06  Interview with Azattyk Radio and State TV
--04/11/06  Interview with NTS
--04/08/06  Interview with Yevgeniy Gryunberg, Anchor for “Sostoyaniye KZ” on Channel 31
--04/07/06  Interview with Satinder Bindra, CNN Senior Correspondent 
--04/07/06  Interview with Sheetal Rajput, Zee News Senior Correspondent
--04/07/06  Interview with Amitabh Pashupati Revi, NDTV Senior Special Correspondent
--04/07/06  The U.S.-India Friendship: Where We Were and Where We’re Going
--04/05/06  Interview on GEO TV of Pakistan by Hamid Mir
--04/05/06  Press Conference in Islamabad, Pakistan
--04/05/06  Interview with Qatrina Hussain, PTV (Pakistan TV)