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Spokesperson Briefings

Date: 06/02/2007

Report of Press Briefing on 06 February, 2007

Opening Statement

As you are already aware, Pakistan had proposed to India 5-7 March as the dates for the first meeting of the anti-terrorism mechanism. We have now been informed that these dates are acceptable to India . The first meeting of the mechanism would be held in Islamabad . The three member Indian delegation will arrive here on 5 March and leave on 7 March. It will be headed by the respective Additional Secretary (UN) on both sides.

QUESTION/ANSWER SESSION

Asked about the terms of reference of the anti-terrorism mechanism, the Spokesperson said:

This mechanism was established when the President of Pakistan and the Indian Prime Minister met at Havana . Its purpose is to prevent terrorist acts in the two countries. This is a two-way mechanism for sharing information to prevent acts of terrorism. If they want to share some information with each other, they may use this mechanism. This is a two-way mechanism and both of the countries can utilize it.

Asked whether this mechanism would culminate in the meeting of the Intelligence Chiefs of the two countries, the Spokesperson said:

This mechanism is not for the meeting between the Intelligence Chiefs. If Pakistan has some information and it wants to share that information with the India or if it wants to seek information from India in that regard and vice versa, this is the mechanism through which this can be done. We already have a Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and Narcotics and that group is part of the Composite Dialogue.

In response to questions about President Musharraf's Middle East initiative and why EU and the US were excluded from these consultations, the Spokesperson said:

We discussed this in great detail in the last briefing. The purpose is to exchange views within the Muslim world and formulate ideas for a new initiative. And this is the purpose of the President's visit. He has been to the neighbouring countries of Palestine , and in fact, UAE; he visited Malaysia and Indonesia , and presently he is in Turkey . He has already visited Iran . Earlier after his visit to the five Arab countries, he spoke to the Turkish and Iranian leaders before undertaking his visit to Indonesia and Malaysia . These are consultations and the President is exchanging views with the leadership of these countries.

As we have already said this visit is about the Palestine issue, the situation in Iraq , the situation in the Middle East and also the urgent need to bring about harmony in the Muslim World. We are deeply concerned at the situation in the Middle East . It has ramifications for the region, for Pakistan and other Muslim countries outside the region. This is an effort to address these concerns in the Muslim World. If these consultations lead to a new initiative, then certainly the European Union and the US would be consulted.

Asked whether the forthcoming Munich Meeting of the Pakistani, Afghan and the German Foreign Ministers would help tampering the hawkish tone of Afghanistan vis-à-vis Pakistan , the Spokesperson said:

The Foreign Minister will be in Berlin . He is meeting the EU troika. During that meeting, Pakistan-EU relations will be discussed and views will be exchanged on taking this relationship forward. We also expect that the Third Generation Agreement which was signed three years ago would become operational. It was held in abeyance because of the Readmission Agreement which has now been finalized. The NATO and EU are closely involved in Afghanistan , and Germany has been very keen to help Pakistan and Afghanistan in strengthening the border controls. If they have any ideas, they may share them with us. We hope this would be a fruitful visit.

Asked whether the recent statement by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz urging India to show flexibility did not indicate the fact that there was no forward movement in Pakistan-India peace process, the Spokesperson said:

That is your interpretation. For sustaining the process - the Composite Dialogue and the peace process that we have undertaken, there has to be forward movement. Without forward movement it would be difficult to sustain this process. People in Pakistan want to know what has been achieved. It is important for peace and stability in this region and it is important for Pakistan-India relations that there is forward movement in the peace process. We have repeatedly said that in order to resolve the complex and protracted issues, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir issue, we require flexibility on both sides.

Asked about the Prime Minister's invitation to Syed Ali Gillani and the Indian refusal to give him travel document, the Spokesperson said:

We welcome visits by Kashmiri leaders. Syed Ali Gillani is an important Kashmiri leader. We do hope that he would be enabled to travel.

In response to a question about the widespread and ruthless custodial killings of innocent Kashmiris and whether they would not have an impact on the Pakistan-India peace process, the Spokesperson said:

The issue of custodial killing is a matter of deep concern for us. Custodial killings and disappearances are taking place especially for reward. According to some estimates, about eight thousand people are still missing in Kashmir . We do not know what has happened to them. It is extremely important that this is stopped forthwith and those who are responsible for these heinous crimes are brought to justice and strong action is taken against them. The Indian Prime Minister acknowledged last year that excesses had been committed in Kashmir . He also pledged that henceforth there would be zero tolerance of such human rights violations. We do hope that this pledge would be fulfilled.

Asked to confirm the veracity of the reports that Pakistan had called upon India to convene the meeting of the Director Generals MO of the two countries in order to discuss withdrawal from Siachen, the Spokesperson said:

You would recall that when the Indian Foreign Minister visited Pakistan , the two Foreign Ministers agreed that the relevant officials would meet at the earliest to discuss the ideas that have been exchanged on Siachen. We do not have any dates but we hope that the meeting would be held at the earliest.

Asked about the schedule of the Libyan Prime Minister's visit to Pakistan , the Spokesperson said:

The Libyan Prime Minister is expected to visit Pakistan . The dates are being worked out. There were some dates, but we have been informed that the visit may not take place on these dates. So we do not have any confirmed dates.

When her views were sought on the repeated assertions by the Afghan Foreign Minister that Pakistan used terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy, the Spokesperson said:

You would have seen the President's Press Conference. He has talked about the Afghanistan problem at great length. These allegations are unsubstantiated and baseless.

Asked about the dates for the second round of the Pak-US strategic dialogue, the Spokesperson said:

We expect the second round of the strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the US to take place in this quarter. We do not have any dates as yet.

When her attention was drawn to yet another clause in the legislation approved by the U.S House of Representatives that Pakistan maintained nuclear proliferation network and whether this could be followed by sanctions, the Spokesperson said:

This is not a law. As I have said repeatedly the legislation has been adopted by one House. It has to be adopted by Senate as well. If there are two different versions, the two houses will go to the conference stage, where they have to reconcile the language. This would then be signed by the President of the United States . Only then will it become US legislation. I am sure you have seen the statement issued by the US Embassy last week. The Senate has its own version which is under discussion and it is different from the House version.

About proliferation, our position is very clear. Pakistan has done more than any other country to dismantle nuclear proliferation network. Many experts believe that proliferation is still taking place, not from Pakistan , but from other countries, mainly Western. Of course, proliferation of nuclear weapons is a serious issue and we would like to see action, strong action as has been taken by Pakistan .

Asked, with reference to her response to the previous question, whether she referred to the recent articles appeared in the Western Media proving the involvement of certain Western countries in the proliferation business, the Spokesperson said:

There are a number of reports. There are studies by various think tanks. A lot of information is available on nuclear proliferation since the nuclear technology has been around and so many countries around the world have acquired nuclear technology and not everything was done under ‘Atom for peace' programme. There have been leaks and there have been proliferation. I was referring to recent reports that confirm that in most western countries, there has been no action to stop proliferation. Pakistan took very strong action. However, we have not seen similar action elsewhere in the world. This is not just our view; this is confirmed by a number of non-proliferation experts.

Asked whether Pakistan agreed with the call by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to convene an extraordinary OIC summit to discuss the Middle East Situation, the Spokesperson said:

I do not think that he has asked the OIC Secretary General to convene a meeting. I mean this is not a formal suggestion. As you know that the Palestinian leaders are meeting in Makkah Mukarrammah and we hope that this mediation by the Saudi Government would help the Palestinians heal their rift. There is going to be a regular ICFM in May in Pakistan . That would also be an occasion to discuss the Palestinian issue.

Asked, with reference to President Musharraf's recent statement that Pakistan would no longer allow to be used as a scapegoat, what long-term strategy had been evolved in order to save Pakistan from becoming a scapegoat in future, the Spokesperson said:

The US or any European government has not said that Pakistan is not doing enough. No one can say that Pakistan solely is responsible for setting right whatever is wrong with Afghanistan . There are a number of reasons for that and most of them lie inside Afghanistan . It is the situation inside Afghanistan . It is an Afghan problem. The Taliban is an Afghan phenomenon, and the solution to the Afghan problem is inside Afghanistan .

It would be very naïve for anyone to say that Afghan problems are only because a handful of people are crossing over from Pakistan .

Asked whether the recently announced US aid package to Afghanistan allocating 80% resources to military sector was not at odds with the need for the economic rehabilitation of Afghanistan , the Spokesperson said:

It is a long-term process. The strategy in Afghanistan has to be comprehensive. It is important to build Afghan institutions, Afghan security forces, and to undertake economic development as well to create job opportunities so that Afghans build a stake in peace. The development and reconstruction activity that has taken place so far is very sporadic. We cannot wait for peace first and reconstruction and reconciliation later. These efforts have to be simultaneous. There has to be a mix of all as they feed into each other. If you have development activity, they are likely to strengthen the peace process.

Asked whether there was now a need for the greater Muslim representation in the Quartet peace plan, the Spokesperson said:

Well Quartet plan is already there. What we feel is that there is stagnation; things are not moving. We are not talking about modifications in any specific plan whether it is Quartet, Beirut , any other plan. What we want to see is the breaking of this deadlock. We have to revive the stalled peace process. We are bringing the ideas from various influential Muslim countries together, so that we can find a way forward. It could perhaps be building on the initiatives that are already there or that it can be a new initiative.

Asked about any mechanism for the Afghan refugees' repatriation, the Spokesperson said:

There is going to be a trilateral meeting in Lahore , It is starting today. This meeting is precisely for discussing the Afghan refugees in Pakistan and their repatriation. As we have said we would like to see 2007 as the year for repatriation of Afghan refugees to Afghanistan . Not only that but we want to see that repatriation is sustained. We want the international community to make sure that these people are settled there. They do not become homeless. Necessary arrangements should be made for them inside Afghanistan particularly in those areas which according to the Afghan Government are relatively peaceful.