PESHAWAR, Jan 13: The US Assistant Secretary of State, Richard Boucher, held meetings with the NWFP Governor, Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai, and Corps Commander Lt-Gen Hamid Khan here on Saturday. The focus of the meetings was on the law and order situation in the tribal areas.

A handout said Mr Boucher promised American participation in the donors’ conference scheduled for April. He also reiterated his government’s pledge to support the setting up of the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) to generate trade and economic activities in the area.

Governor Aurakzai, the architect of the North Waziristan peace agreement, briefed Mr Boucher of the security situation in the tribal areas and of the steps government had taken to curb terrorism.

Mr Boucher, the release added, was appreciative of the awareness tribal people showed over the events taking place worldwide. “Time has come to bring tribal people out of isolation by providing them a secure and peaceful atmosphere, besides developing their socio-economic conditions,” the statement said while quoting Mr Boucher.

The governor informed Mr Boucher that the `Sustainable Development Plan’ had been prepared which would be implemented with the assistance of donors in next nine years.

A press release of the Inter-Services Public Relations stated that Mr Boucher called on Lt-Gen Hamid Khan at the Corps Headquarters and discussed various bilateral issues. The US diplomat later flew to Landi Kotal, Khyber Agency and visited the Khyber Pass.