Spokesman Briefings

Date: 07/08/2008

Record of the Press Briefing on 7 August 2008

Opening Statement

The fifteenth SAARC Summit was held at Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 2-3 August 2008. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani led Pakistan’s delegation. The Summit was preceded by the meetings of the Council of Ministers and the Standing Committee. The SAARC leaders reviewed the work of the Organization since the last Summit and deliberated on priority issues of regional importance.

The Prime Minister, in his address to the Summit, stressed the need to develop a comprehensive regional strategy to ensure food security and a regional framework on energy cooperation. He also highlighted Pakistan’s role in the fight against terrorism.

The Summit adopted a Declaration reflecting the key issues of the SAARC agenda: regional connectivity, energy, trade facilitation, environment, tourism, and counter-terrorism.

At Pakistan’s initiative, a separate Declaration: “Colombo Statement on Food Security” was issued to address the emerging global situation of reduced food availability and worldwide rise in food prices. The Colombo Statement calls for urgent operationalization of SAARC Food Bank and convening of an extraordinary meeting of SAARC Agriculture Ministers to evolve people-centered short to medium term regional strategy on food security.

Four Agreements relating to SAARC Development Fund, Regional Standards Organization, Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and Afghanistan’s accession to SAFTA were signed during the Summit. The Summit approved Guidelines for Cooperation with Observers and Intergovernmental Organizations to facilitate their active participation in SAARC activities. Pakistan delegation played a leading role in the preparation of the Guidelines. Requests from Australia and Myanmar for observer status were also approved.

During the preparatory process of the Summit, the Foreign Minister had addressed letters to his counterparts from SAARC states to share concrete suggestions and concept papers on: (i) food security; (ii) energy cooperation; (iii) project based regional cooperation; and (iv) SAARC’s external linkages. These ideas as well as several of our other proposals were accepted and reflected in the Summit Declaration.

Pakistan’s constructive role in achieving consensus on the draft Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and proposing various modalities to deepen SAARC’s engagement with Observers were appreciated by all participants.

Prime Minister’s engagements on the sidelines of the Summit included separate bilateral meetings with SAARC leaders. In his meetings with the President of Sri Lanka, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, and Prime Minister of Bhutan, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting multi-faceted cooperation with their countries.

During the meeting with his Indian counterpart, the Prime Minister underscored the need to build mutual trust, continue the peace process in the interest of the people of two countries and effectively use the existing institutional mechanisms to cooperate in counter terrorism efforts.

The meeting with the President of Afghanistan was held in a cordial atmosphere. It was agreed that the two governments need to remain engaged on all issues, coordinate their efforts to fight terrorism, and expedite the process of convening the mini-Jirga. A Joint Statement was also issued following the meeting.

Pakistan’s positive and constructive role during the Summit signified our commitment to promote regional cooperation under the SAARC ambit. 

Question/Answer Session

Q:      What is Foreign Office doing regarding the case of Dr. Afia Siddiqui?

A:      We have been officially informed by the US authorities that Dr. Afia Siddiqui was taken in U.S. custody from Afghan authorities on 17 July 2008 in Ghazni (Afghanistan) and has been transferred to the U.S. on 3rd August.

Our Embassy in Washington is seeking consular access to Dr. Afia Siddiqui. All possible assistance will be provided to her. We expect that Dr. Siddiqui will be provided full medical assistance.

          The Government is committed to bringing back all Pakistani detainees including Dr. Afia Siddiqui. Our efforts in this regard would continue.

Q:      The way Dr. Afia Siddiqui was taken to US was an act of state abduction. Are we officially providing financial assistance for legal proceedings in the case of Dr. Afia Siddiqui?

A:      I have just given you the information we have in this case.  As I said we will provide all possible assistance to Dr. Afia Siddiqui who is a Pakistani national.

Q:      Was Dr. Afia Siddiqui ever arrested in Pakistan by the Pakistani agencies?

A:      I am not aware if Dr. Afia Siddiqui was ever arrested in Pakistan.

Q:      How is it that a Pakistani was arrested since 2003 without Government of Pakistan’s notice?  At what level the case is being taken up?

A:      I am sorry I have no information about Dr. Afia Siddiqui’s arrest in 2003, although, I am aware of the media reports regarding her being missing since then.  I hope when we have consular access to Dr. Afia Siddiqui, we would be in a better position to comment in this matter.  As far as the level of approach is concerned, it is not an issue.  We will raise it at all required levels.

Q:      Dr. Afia Siddiqui was reportedly arrested while she was traveling from Islamabad to Karachi.  In the light of this fact your claim of having no knowledge about her arrest creates serious doubts. Your comments please?

A:      I said categorically that I have no information about it.  If we have any information we would share it with you.

Q:      Are there any plans to defend Dr. Afia Siddiqui in US courts apart from providing her consular access?

A:      As I said, Dr. Afia Siddiqui will be provided all possible assistance.

Q:      Why was the detention of Dr. Afia Siddiqui at Bagram kept secret from Pakistan?

A:      I do not know if Dr. Afia Siddiqui was kept at Bagram.  On our approach we were assured by the US that she was notin Bagram. Bagram, as you know, is a US army facility. I will be able to comment on this once we have more information in the matter.

Q:      How far the story narrated by Washington about Dr. Afia Siddiqui is credible to you?

A:      At this stage we do not have much information about the case other than what is shared with us by the US authorities. I cannot express personal opinions in a briefing.

Q:      Can you tell us why US Government has not provided consular access regarding Dr. Afia Siddiqui? Why is it taking so long?

A:      We hope that the consular access, which has been requested,  will be provided at the earliest.  There are certain procedural requirements which we hope will be met and consular access will be provided as soon as possible.

Q:      How will Dr. Afia Siddiqui’s case reflect on Pak-US relations?

A:      As I said, we do not have full information, therefore, I am constrained in taking a position at this stage.

Q:      Given that China is a close friend of Pakistan, why is it that there are no words so far as to who will represent Pakistan at the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics?

A:      So far our earlier announcement that President will represent Pakistan stands current. Any further development will be intimated as soon as it takes place.

(UPDATE: After receiving information from the concerned quarters immediately after the briefing, the media was intimated that the Prime Minister would represent Pakistan to attend the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics.  The media was also informed that the Prime Minister will leave for China today.)

Q:      How do you see the adoption of Indian safeguards agreement at IAEA affecting Pakistan’s prospects for international cooperation and is there any policy on access to civil nuclear energy?

A:      In terms of affecting Pakistan’s prospects, I would draw your attention to the statement made by the IAEA Director General, El Baradei, at the IAEA Board of Governors on 1 August 2008, as well as statements of other IAEA officials, which confirm the precedent setting nature of the Indian safeguards agreement, and that the agreement could serve as a model for other states, who may wish to conclude similar agreements. This understanding constitutes a part of the official record of the IAEA Board of Governors.

Pakistan is keenly interested in seeking international cooperation towards access to technology for civilian nuclear energy. In this context I would refer you to the National Command Authority (NCA)’s meeting of 2nd August 2007, which called for a criteria-based approach to enable Pakistan to access civil nuclear energy under safeguards to meet its growing energy needs.

Q:      What is being done to safeguard Pakistan’s interests against the formation of a troika of Afghanistan-US-India?

A:      I do not comment on hypothetical scenarios. 

Q:      Afghan President has repeated his allegation that ISI was involved in the car bomb attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul saying that he was confident of the evidence. Was any evidence shown to Pakistan?

A:      The allegation of Pakistan’s involvement in the Indian Embassy attack is baseless. Afghanistan has not shown any evidence to Pakistan despite our demands.

We hope the Afghan government would stop the blame game that is vitiating the atmosphere of bilateral relations. Blame game has not helped matters in the past and will not in the future. Pakistan was one of the first countries to condemn the attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul.

Q:      How do you see the role of Parliament on foreign policy issues after the take over by the elected government?

A:      Parliament, as representative of people, is the supreme law and policy making organ of the state. The new government has given its due role to the Parliament on the foreign policy issues. The Foreign Minister has regularly attended Parliamentary sessions discussing foreign policy.  There were two major and comprehensive debates on foreign policy in the Parliament which were concluded by the Foreign Minister.

Incidentally, yesterday the Senate unanimously adopted three foreign policy related resolutions regarding recent ceasefire violations on the Line of Control, situation in Jammu and Kashmir and relations with Afghanistan.

Q:      Mr.  Mohammed Faisal who claims to be a spokesman of OIC has given two statements this year about Pakistan. Why is it that we did not hear any reaction to them from the Foreign Office?

A:      The gentleman in question is an impostor. The OIC through its notification on 1st July 2008 has confirmed that Mohammed Faisal is neither a spokesman of the organization nor linked with it in any other capacity. The OIC notification also states that the media should not pay attention to the statements made by this individual.