Bush Senior to visit Pakistan next month

UNITED NATIONS—Former US President George H.W. Bush, who has been appointed special UN envoy for Pakistan earthquake, says he will go to Islamabad early next month to take up the “nobel cause” of relief for the Oct. 8 disaster victims and of reconstruction in the ravaged areas.
“I am very proud to accept this appointment by the Secretary-General (Kofi Annan),” the 81-year-old Bush told a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday after the UN chief thanked him for accepting the assignment.
“I am pleased to work for him (the secretary-general) for this noble cause,” the US former head of state, who is the father of the current president, said, with Mr. Annan on his side.
“Barbara and I have been heartbroken over the tragedy in Pakistan,” the former president said, referring to his wife.
Responding to a question, Bush said he would soon talk to President Pervez Musharraf to discuss the progress of relief and reconstruction work in the quake-hit areas.
“I think I can help, and I certaintly want to try,” Bush said. “I have great respect for the president of Pakistan and for his prime minister(Shaukat Aziz), so I will be going as the secretary-general’s envoy into a very favourable environment.—Agencies