Pakistan, US spar over Coalition Support Fund
January 26th, 2010 - 5:31 pm ICT by IANSIslamabad, Jan 26 (IANS) Differences have cropped up between Pakistan and the US over the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) to be released to this country and negotiations between the two countries on this Tuesday remained inconclusive.
Finance ministry sources told Online news agency that during negotiations between senior officials of the ministry and US embassy, it was stressed that $2 billion should be paid under the fund.
The US, however, said it would pay only $1.4 billion as the receipts received from the Pakistan Army showed a shortfall of $600 million dollars.
The two countries had agreed to continue their negotiations to settle the issue, sources said.
US embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire, when contacted, told Online that he had no knowledge of any disparity in the amount of funds.
At the same time, he added: “We review the lists of expenditure and receipts that we are given by the Pakistani Army under the fund and after completing the process of scrutiny we pay the amount (due) to Pakistan.”
He also pointed out that Pakistan had not granted visas to US auditors to enable them come here for checking the receipts.
“Due to the delay in granting visas, the disbursement of funds to Pakistan are facing delays,” he said, adding: “If the visas are granted soon, this matter would be settled soon.”
The CSF was created in the wake of 9/11 to reimburse key US allies in the global war against terror.
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Tags: allies, coalition support, csf, disbursement, disparity, embassy spokesman, finance ministry, global war, million dollars, ministry sources, negotiations, news agency, pakistan army, pakistani army, receipts, scrutiny, senior officials, shortfall, war against terror