美国公布对巴基斯坦的援助计划

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced aid projects worth $7.5bn (£5bn) for Pakistan at the start of talks in the capital, Islamabad.

美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿在巴基斯坦首都伊斯兰堡进行会谈时宣布对其进行一项价值75亿美元的援助计划。

Correspondents say the deal is part of Washington's attempts to counter anti-US sentiment in Pakistan

The five-year package, which was agreed by Congress last year, includes projects for two hydro-electric dams.

Mrs Clinton said the US wanted to show it cared about ordinary Pakistanis, not just securing Islamabad's co-operation in the fight against militants¹.

She is en route（在途中） to a major donor² conference in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

"We know that there is a perception held by too many Pakistanis that America's commitment to them begins and ends with security," said America's top diplomat³.

"We have not done a good enough job of connecting our partnership⁴ with concrete improvements in the lives of Pakistanis. With this dialogue, we are working to change that."

As well as two dams, Mrs Clinton unveiled funding for drinking water and irrigation projects, and health centres.

The BBC's Kim Ghattas, who is travelling with the US secretary of state, notes Mrs Clinton also said the US expected Pakistanis to take extra steps to tackle militants.

Mrs Clinton revealed she worried all the time about the possibility of an attack against the US emanating⁵ from（发源于） Pakistan, and warned such an attack would have a "devastating⁶ impact" on relations between Washington and Islamabad.

On Sunday, Mrs Clinton helped broker⁷ an important trade agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which allows Afghan trucks to use a land route through Pakistan to carry goods to India.

The BBC's Lyse Doucet in Kabul says all sides know that if there is to be greater co-operation on tackling a growing Taliban insurgency⁸（叛乱，暴动） , including sanctuaries⁹（圣殿） in Pakistan, relations have to start improving on all fronts.

Afghan Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal, who signed the deal with his counterpart in Islamabad on Sunday, said it was a signal that relations with Pakistan were improving rapidly.

As part of her schedule on Monday, Mrs Clinton will hold a townhall meeting, where the type of reception she receives will be keenly watched.

The secretary of state faced a hostile public during two townhall meetings in Pakistan last October, when students expressed doubt that Americans were really their long-term friends.

Only 17% of Pakistanis have a positive view of the US, according to a poll last month by the Pew Research Center's global attitudes project.