Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04AMMAN3951
2004-05-19 13:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

U/S LARSON MEETING WITH PAKISTANI MINISTER OF

Tags:  EINV PREL PK EFIN JO 
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UNCLAS AMMAN 003951 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV PREL PK EFIN JO
SUBJECT: U/S LARSON MEETING WITH PAKISTANI MINISTER OF
PRIVATIZATION AND INVESTMENT HAFIZ SHAIKH

UNCLAS AMMAN 003951

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV PREL PK EFIN JO
SUBJECT: U/S LARSON MEETING WITH PAKISTANI MINISTER OF
PRIVATIZATION AND INVESTMENT HAFIZ SHAIKH


1. (SBU) U/S Larson met with Minister Shaikh for 15 minutes
on May 15 on the margins of the WEF at the Dead Sea in
Jordan. Also present in the meeting were Larson visit
control officer Greg Lawless and notetaker Amy Schedlbauer.


2. (SBU) Larson gave the minister a copy of the draft G-8
Plan of Support for Reform and welcomed Shaikh's comments on
it and those of his colleagues, noting that it was still very
much a dynamic draft. Larson mentioned that they were
looking for countries willing to be a leader on one of the
initiatives and suggested that Pakistan may want to consider
being a pilot country for the Task Force on Investment and
have the opportunity to shape the Sea Island Summit. Shaikh
said they wanted to be supportive and would review and reply
with comments. Shaikh mentioned that King Abdullah had
written President Musharraf about reform issues and suggested
working together. HS stressed that he thinks it's important
to provide leadership, especially on the investment side.


3. (SBU) Larson then mentioned his last meeting with the
Finance Minister and that they had had a good run through on
the economic dimension of assistance. Larson said he thought
there were a lot of possible opportunities for working
together and combining efforts, especially in terms of
attracting investment and promoting small business.


4. (SBU) Shaikh said he was in London recently and
participated in the Pakistani High Commissioner's investment
conference with 300 British and Pakistani firms. He said he
was interested in doing something similar in the U.S.


5. (SBU) Larson then turned to some of the other initiatives
for Sea Island, particularly the remittance initiative to try
to pull together G-8 support to bring remittances into formal
banking channels. HS stressed the importance and difficulty
of converting remittances into investment. Overseas
Pakistanis aren't geared to finding investment opportunities
in Pakistan for one million euros/pounds.


6. (U) This message was cleared by Under Secretary Larson.
GNEHM