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Spokesperson Briefings

Date: 12/02/2007

Report of Press Briefing on 12 February, 2007

Opening Statement

The inaugural session of the Pakistan-US Joint Committee on Science and Technology is taking place in Washington on 13-14 February. Professor Atta-u-Rehman, Chairman Higher Education Commission and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Science and Technology, would lead the Pakistan side. The US side will be led by Dr. Ardnel Bement who is Director National Science Foundation. You would recall that the decision to establish the Joint Committee on Science and Technology was taken when the US President visited Pakistan March last year. The purpose is to assist Pakistan in building capacity and to increase cooperation in science and technology and engineering. Both sides also agreed to improve the quality-relevance and capacity of education and research in Pakistani institutes of higher learning in the field of science and technology. It was also agreed to enhance institutional capacity of Pakistan in the areas of environment through exchange of experts and developing linkages in collaborative projects with relevant US institutions. Preliminary discussions on launching the science and technology dialogue were held in Washington in July 2006. Subsequently, Dr. Bement visited Pakistan in October 2006 to continue discussions on expanding relationship between the two countries in the fields of Science and Technology specifically between the scientific communities of the two countries.

Question/Answer Session

Asked to evaluate the meeting between the US Secretary of Defence and the President of Pakistan, the Spokesperson said:

I understand that he has addressed a Press Conference at which he expressed satisfaction at the meeting. At the meeting, there were discussions about the Pakistan-US relations and also about Afghanistan . The meeting was very good and this is part of the continuing dialogue between Pakistan and the US at various levels.

When her comments were sought on the reported statement by a US Commander in Afghanistan that the US would continue pursuing Taliban inside the Pakistani territory and that the US could not wait to seek Pakistan 's permission, the Spokesperson said:

No this statement is not correct. You may have seen the DG ISPR statement. I understand that the US Secretary Defence Robert Gates also clarified this. Crossing an international border and entering another country's territory is far too serious an issue to be determined by a junior US commander in Afghanistan .

Asked if there was any likelihood of the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to Pakistan , the spokesperson said:

There is always the likelihood of such visits, but I cannot confirm that the visit is taking place. It might happen.

Asked about the reports about an imminent threat of US attack on Iran and the latter's assertions to retaliate, whether a US-Iran show-down would have a fall out on Pakistan as well, the Spokesperson said:

I think it is too obvious to require an answer. Of course any military action against Iran would have very serious consequences for Pakistan and for the entire region which is already in great turmoil. However, these are speculative reports.

In response to a question about the legislation under consideration in the US Congress, the Spokesperson said:

Let me reiterate that this is not yet a law. It is a bill under consideration. And of course we are in touch with the US Administration and we are in touch with the US Congress.

Asked whether Pakistan had pursued the question of Jinnah House in Mumbai after the Indian Foreign Minister's visit to Pakistan during which he had assured that he would expeditiously look into the matter, and if there was any indication that the Indian Government was going to hand it over to Pakistan, the Spokesperson said:

No, we have no such indication. As you know we are facing difficulty in locating an appropriate premise in Mumbai for the Consulate-General. If India were to hand over the Jinnah House, obviously it would help us. But no, we have no indication from the Indian side to that effect.

Asked about her expectations from the Baglihar Dam decision that was to be declared that day, and whether she agreed with the belief of some observers that Baglihar being a litmus test, how one could be optimistic about the Pakistan-India peace process, the Spokesperson said:

I do not know who these experts are. There is a provision in the Indus Waters Treaty on the basis of which we have sought the role of a neutral expert. As we discuss this, probably the verdict is being handed over to our representative in Berne in Switzerland .I understand that the Ministry of Water and Power would be arranging a Press Conference later today to give the government's view on the decision.

Asked if there was any follow-up action on the offer made by the Canadian Foreign Minister who had suggested that he would propose some ideas on managing the Pakistan-Afghan border, the Spokesperson said:

A 7-8 member Canadian assessment team is in town. They are holding meetings with our relevant agencies in order to learn about our specific requirements. On the basis of these discussions, they would be sending proposals.

In response to another question regarding the details of the meeting between the US Secretary of Defence and the President of Pakistan, the Spokesperson said:

The US Secretary Defence has already addressed a press conference. Something might be issued later.

When her comments were sought on the reported statement by Foreign Minister Kasuri that Pakistan , in deference to international opinion, might not mine the Pak-Afghan border, how this decision was taken and as to why it was announced abroad and not in Pakistan , the Spokesperson said:

I do not know what exactly the Foreign Minister said and in what context. These may just be media reports. The decision that taken at a very high level meeting was to task the Armed Forces to work out the modalities for selectively fencing and mining our international border with Afghanistan. Subsequently, the Armed Forces made some recommendations. On the basis of these recommendations, the President, while speaking to media, said that in the first phase, we will be selectively fencing certain areas in the Frontier Province and then in Baluchistan . Meanwhile, if we get some bright ideas from the international community that can be implemented we would consider them.

Asked to confirm reports that the NATO Secretary General was to visit Pakistan , the Spokesperson said:

I have no such information. These are just media reports.

Asked about the likely course of action which could be taken by Pakistan , if the verdict by the neutral expert on Baglihar was not acceptable to Pakistan if the verdict would be binding, the Spokesperson said:

Your question is speculative. We will cross that bridge when we come to it. We are expecting a verdict today. As I said the Ministry of Water and Power will be giving the Government's point of view on this verdict at a Press conference. The neutral expert's verdict is binding.

Asked whether Prime Minister Azad Kashmir's offer of providing gas and electricity to Indian Occupied Kashmir was part of Pakistan 's policy vis-à-vis India and Kashmir , the Spokesperson said:

I do not know what offer he has made and at what stage that can happen and whether Azad Kashmir has surplus electricity or gas to supply to IOK. He is perhaps talking about the relationship between two parts of Kashmir . May be he was talking about a future scenario when there is greater movement between the two parts of Kashmir and they are able to reconnect and establish trade relations, are able to have free movement of people and goods. Perhaps he was talking in that context.

Asked, with reference to media reports, if Pakistan had proposed any new ideas regarding Siachen to India , and whether any new ground was being broken on the issue, the Spokesperson said:

When the Foreign Secretary visited India in November, he left some ideas with his Indian counterpart. When the Indian Foreign Minister was here, the two Foreign Ministers agreed to direct the relevant military officials to meet at the earliest. They also spoke to the media. That is where we are at the moment.

Asked whether India 's decision to increase its military budget and to spend $10 billion to get state-of-the-art military hardware would not vitiate the Pakistan-India peace process, the Spokesperson said:

It is India 's decision. If they want to spend $ ten billion on armament, it is their decision. However, we do not want an arms race, and if there is a widening asymmetry between the conventional arms of Pakistan and India , it does not help.

Asked for clarification about the cross border firing by US forces and the claims of the US commander that they had already done so, the Spokesperson said:

I have already responded to that question. There is also the statement by the US Secretary of Defense. There has been US apology and also expressions of regret at that incident.

When her comments were sought on the Indian Prime Minister's reported statement suggesting that the Indian government intended to make East Punjab, especially Amritsar the hub of commercial activity and reference to improving relations with Pakistan, whether it implied opening up trade with Pakistan and also if Pakistan was an equal partner in this endeavour, the Spokesperson said:

Making Amritsar a hub of commercial, industrial and trade activities is India 's internal matter. I think what he was talking about was the salutary effects of Pakistan-India relations on economic development. Our position on this is clear. We have trade relations with India , but free trade or complete normalization of relations between the two countries will depend on the progress that we are able to make on the core issues.

Asked whether Pakistan had got an assurance from the US that Pakistan 's territory would no longer be violated in future, the Spokesperson said:

I am surprised that so much importance is being given to a statement by a junior officer sitting in Afghanistan . You have seen the US Defence Secretary's statement today; you have seen the DG ISPR's statement today. I have nothing further to add to this. In the fight against terrorism, it is cooperation that would help.