Aso to announce new economic aid package for Pakistan

TOKYO, Feb. 19 Kyodo - Prime Minister Taro Aso will announce a new package of economic aid for
Pakistan, including extending yen loans, at his meeting with U.S. President
Barack Obama in Washington on Tuesday, government sources said Thursday.
At the meeting, Aso will also seek U.S. cooperation over the planned
international donor conference on Pakistan in Tokyo in late March, according to
the sources.
Aso apparently aims to promote Japan's efforts to stabilize the situation in
Pakistan and to help the war on terror after Obama approved an order to deploy
17,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.
According to diplomatic sources, around 14 countries, including the Group of
Eight major economies, China and Saudi Arabia, will send ministerial-level
participants to the March gathering.
==Kyodo