Spokesperson Briefings

Date: 06/08/2007

Record of Press Briefing on 06 August, 2007

There was no opening statement.

Question/Answer Session

Asked, for comments regarding the remarks made by Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the US Senate, Senator Casey about the nuclear programs of Pakistan , Korea and Iran , the Spokesperson said:

The Senator has made certain conjectures, which are out of place. Pakistan 's nuclear deterrence is in the context of South Asia . It restores the balance which was disturbed by India 's pursuit of nuclear weapons program and the Indian nuclear tests. Our policy is minimum credible deterrence. No one should feel threatened by Pakistan 's deterrent capability.

When, her attention was drawn to a report that the National Intelligence Estimate had been manipulated in a manner similar to the one in which intelligence reports were manipulated by the US before the Iraqi invasion, and her comments were also sought on the statement by US Under-Secretary Nicholas Burns, the Spokesperson said:

We have seen the Washington Post report of yesterday quoting a senior official involved in the preparation of the report, although there is no name. Normally we do not comment on reports which do not identify the source. However, the National Intelligence Estimate is a serious matter. If the report is accurate, it is a serious matter. The NIE ought to be accurate. We have seen how disastrous the consequences of such reports have been in the past. We have said that there is no Al-Qaeda or Taliban safe haven in Pakistan . Our position is that our forces would take action if there is actionable intelligence. As already stated, if there is any transgression of the understanding that inside our territory, only our security forces will take action, it will damage our cooperation.

About your second question, the US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns' remarks are merely an echo of similar comments made earlier by US officials asking Pakistan to do more while ignoring the efforts Pakistan has been making to eliminate terrorism, first and foremost, in its own interest.

Pakistan has been cooperating with the international community, to disrupt and eliminate Al-Qaeda and other terrorist elements, the parameters of this cooperation are well-known and these were recently acknowledged by US Vice-President Dick Cheney in his interview with CNN, noting that the two sides worked together and stating that the US would not go inside the territory of Pakistan, being a sovereign State. Any transgression of these parameters would be unacceptable and would damage the existing cooperation and the interests of the two countries.

Mr. Burns also referred to the North and South Waziristan . Pakistan is following comprehensive strategy, which combines military action with political, administrative and economic development measures to cleanse this region of the Al-Qaeda and terrorist elements who have come to the area as a result of US military intervention in Afghanistan . In focusing on these challenges in our neighbourhood, we are acting with extreme care and responsibility and expect that our friends would not complicate the task that confronts us.

It is unfortunate that Mr. Burns chose to justify the Pakistan specific legislation adopted by the US Congress in the context of 9/11 Commission Recommendations. We have already made it clear that it casts a shadow on Pakistan-US cooperation and would be detrimental to the stated US objective of building a long-term strategic relationship with Pakistan . Placement of conditionalities is in no way conducive to the promotion of a healthy relationship.

Asked, if the Pakistan-Afghanistan Jirga would be held despite reports that some tribal elders would not attend it, the Spokesperson said:

Yes, there are reports that some tribal elders may not attend. The Minister of Interior Mr. Sherpao is head of Pakistan Jirga Commission and he is presently holding meetings and what impact this will have on the holding of the Jirga, he is the right person to contact.

Asked, for comments regarding demands by some tribal leaders concerning inclusion of Taliban in the Jirga, the Spokesperson said:

As we have said in the past, it is not for us to decide the composition of the Jirga on the Afghan side and Taliban are essentially Afghans.

Asked, if Pakistan expected a positive outcome from the Jirga meeting in view of the refusal of some tribal elders to attend, the Spokesperson said:

I have just answered that question. You may contact the Pakistan Jirga Commission.

Asked, if any official contact had been established by the South Korean Government with Pakistan for the release of the Korean hostages held by Taliban, the Spokesperson said:

Why should they contact us? The South Koreans have been kidnapped in Afghanistan by Taliban and the Taliban are demanding the release of some of their comrades who are either in the custody of the Afghan Government or US troops. If they ask us to help in the release, they would be knocking on the wrong door.

Asked, with reference to her prior comment, why they were contacting Maulana Fazal-ur Rehman, the Spokesperson said:

Ask them please!

Asked, if Pakistan was considering reviewing its US policy in light of the recent legislation passed by the US making aid conditional to Pakistan and also for confirmation of Mr. Boucher visit to Pakistan next month, the Spokesperson said:

Mr. Boucher is planning to visit Pakistan . I do not have confirmed dates. These are routine visits which take place from time to time.

As regards your other question, whatever Pakistan is doing to counter terrorism, it is first and foremost in our own national interest. This is not at the behest of anyone else. We see terrorism as a danger to our society and to our development. We will continue to make efforts in this direction regardless of whether there is any acknowledgement of this fact from outside or not. The US assistance is part of the long term strategy to build cooperative, strategic relationship with Pakistan which both countries desire. This relationship is in the interest of peace and security in this region as well as in the interest of the world. If assistance is curtailed it will surely damage the kind of relationship our two countries desire to build.

Asked, if Pakistan was considering reviewing its policy with regards to the US , the Spokesperson said:

I have already answered your questions.

Asked, for comments about the Governor of Ghazni's allegation that Pakistani Taliban and ISI were behind the kidnapping of the South Korean hostages, the Spokesperson said:

These are absolutely ridiculous statements by desperate people. I have nothing more to say on this.

Asked, if the South Korean Foreign Minister who had met the Foreign Minister of Pakistan in Manila had been told what the Spokesperson said with regard to the Korean hostages held in Afghanistan, the Spokesperson said:

Yes we did. By the way the meeting was not specifically about this. When the Minister of State was in Manila to attend the ASEAN meeting, he met a number of Foreign Ministers who were attending the conference.

Asked, to comment on media reports that Boucher was coming to Pakistan to provide the Government with actionable intelligence, the Spokesperson said:

These are only speculations.