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US infuriated after Musharraf takes Pakistan presidency
( 2001-06-21 10:42 ) (7 )

An infuriated United States Wednesday condemned Pakistan's leader General Pervez Musharraf for claiming the presidency, hours after his foreign minister assured Secretary of State Colin Powell that democracy would soon be restored.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said Islamabad's military government was planning on holding elections next year in a meeting here with Powell on Tuesday, prompting the Secretary of State to say he was "very encouraged."

Yet hours later, Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999 and styled himself as "chief executive," dissolved parliament and was sworn in as president, ousting the previous incumbent Mohammad Rafiq Tarar.

US officials appeared highly irritated and frustrated that Sattar had not tipped them off that changes were imminent in Pakistan.

"We will have to see how to reconcile the events of today with all the pledges we got from yesterday on democracy and elections next year," a senior State Department official said.

Sattar dismissed suggestions that he had deceived US officials, telling reporters he had been unaware of Musharraf's plans on Tuesday morning when he met Powell.

"I was informed last evening," he said at a press conference.

Pakistani officials have said Musharraf's move will not set back hopes for elections, but opponents have slammed his decision as a bid to solidify his power base.

Sattar later explained the situation in a previously scheduled meeting with Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, which he described as "excellent.

But a senior US official said on condition of anonymity that Armitage had made clear that Washington was "distressed about the surprise announcement of General Musharraf assuming the presidency."

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher earlier said Washington was "very concerned and very disappointed that Pakistan has taken another turn from democracy," adding that Musharraf's action "severely undermines Pakistan's democratic order."

Musharraf's decision to promote himself clearly embarrassed Sattar during his visit and will have done little to improve relations with Washington which are already fraught with strains.

Although both sides stress the importance of their 50-year friendship, Sattar's visit comes as Washington appears to be leaning closer towards Pakistan's arch-rival India.

As well as its desire to see Pakistan restore democracy, Washington faults Pakistan for not doing enough to combat terrorism.

Some officials also believe Islamabad should try harder to force Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to extradite Saudi terror suspect Osama bin Laden.

Armitage said he hoped Pakistan "could play a more helpful role" in dealing with the Taliban, the senior official said.

Seeking political advantage over India on Tuesday, Sattar assured the United States it would not carry out any new nuclear tests unless New Delhi did so first, stepping up its campaign against punitive US sanctions choking its economy.

A day before he had called on the United States to be even-handed as it weighs lifting sanctions imposed after India and Pakistan shocked the world with rival nuclear tests in 1998.

Pakistan labors under several levels of sanctions in addition to restrictions on the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance and loans imposed after the 1998 tests.

It is also censured for allegedly receiving missile technology from China and for overturning democracy.

Sattar has been told by US officials on this trip that Pakistan cannot expect sanctions imposed after Musharraf's coup to be removed until democracy is fully restored.

The restrictions, along with drought and corruption, are among ailments slowing Pakistan's economy which plunged to 2.6 percent growth this year, according to government figures released this week.