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Spokesperson Briefings

Date: 02/05/2006

RECORD OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE FOREIGN OFFICE SPOKESPERSON ON 02 May 2006

No statement was made in the beginning, and the press conference opened with question/answer session.

QUESTION/ANSWER SESSION

- When her comments were sought on the recent release of a nuclear scientist Dr. Muhammad Farooq and its impact on the Dr. A.Q. Khan affair, the spokesperson said:

Well, we have conducted thorough investigations into this affair. We shared the information and conclusions of our investigations with IAEA and some other countries including the United States . Our co-operation has been appreciated both by IAEA and the United States . As far as we are concerned, this chapter is closed.

- Asked whether the US would be permitted to have a direct access to Pakistani nuclear scientists, the spokesperson said:

Our policy is very clear on this matter. We have repeatedly said that whatever information is required, it would be provided by the Government of Pakistan. We would conduct investigations, get the answers and transmit the information to the interested quarters. There is no question of direct access.

- In response to a question whether Dr. Farooq's release meant that the case against him was closed, the Spokesperson said:

I would presume that with Dr. Farooq's release, there is a closure.

- When her comments were sought about the US decision to declare two religious organizations Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Khidmat-e-Khalq as terrorist organizations and whether Pakistan would also ban these organizations, the spokesperson said:

We are aware of the US decision. We are however, under no obligation to designate these organizations as terrorist groups. We are not required and we would not put any entity on the terrorist list, if the action is taken under the US domestic law. However, if the UN Security Council's Sanctions Committee were to designate any organization, we would be legally obliged to take action.

- When her attention was drawn to an Indian Journal report claiming that China had assisted Pakistan during the Kargil war with India , the spokesperson said:

China did not intervene during the Kargil conflict. I can't comment on the contents of the Indian journal.

- When her comments were sought on Pak-UAE Defence Accord, the spokesperson said:

It is a part of normal defence relationship between the two countries. The agreement is meant basically to increase and promote the defence relations between the two countries. Pakistan and UAE enjoy very close relations and our cooperation is multifaceted and the recent accord is part of that process. The agreement provides for joint military training and exercises, joint military research, exchange of information, defence procurements, more systematic bilateral visits, and exchange of experiences.

- When asked to comment on the reasons for the trilateral joint military exercises among US-Afghanistan-Pakistan, the spokesperson said:

The joint military exercises of US-Afghanistan-Pakistan have already started today. This is aimed at promoting greater co-ordination among the three countries in the counter-terrorism operations.

- When her attention was drawn to reports regarding the opening of Pakistan 's airspace and airfields for Dutch aircraft operating in Afghanistan , the spokesperson said:

The Netherlands is deploying troops in Afghanistan under the NATO-ISAF command. Pakistan has been providing logistic support to NATO and ISAF in their security assistance operations in Afghanistan . You would recall that for some time ISAF used a part of the base in Karachi for its forward mounting operations to lift their supplies to Afghanistan . Such cooperation is not be part of any military operations in Afghanistan .

- When her attention was drawn to a statement by the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz expressing disappointment with SAARC and whether that statement indicated a change in Pakistan 's policy towards SAARC, the spokesperson said:

Expression of disappointment doesn't mean that there is a change in our policy on SAARC. We want SAARC to be an affective and vibrant organization. That is why it is natural that there is disappointment when the organization's progress is slow. However, we want to make SAARC a successful organization and we are working with other member countries for that. We have been heartened by the interest shown by a number of countries in the region and outside the region in joining SAARC as observer. That shows SAARC is gaining credibility.

- Asked, whether Pakistan wanted SAARC to be a conflict resolution body, the spokesperson said:

The SAARC Charter says that political disputes cannot be discussed at this forum. But realistically if SAARC were to do that, it would perhaps help the member states to discuss a number of issues that are important to member countries. You will recall that the Eminent Persons Group had recommended that SAARC should allow discussion of political disputes and help member countries resolve them.

- When her comments were sought about the India acquiring an air base in Tajikistan , the spokesperson said:

We have no confirmation about it. There were media reports that India would be stationing 12 MiG aircraft at a base in Tajikistan . There is some information that India is helping Tajikistan to develop an airs base. But we have no information that India would be keeping its aircraft there.

- When her comments were sought on the reports that India may have backed out of the Iran -Pakistan- India gas pipeline project and whether the project could go ahead without India , the spokesperson said:

We have no indication that India is not part of the pipeline project. Pakistan and Iran are ready to develop a gas pipeline bilaterally. We have been working on both tracks. Therefore, there would be no impact on the construction plan of the pipeline. If India , for some reason, is not able to join, then the gas pipeline can be built from Iran to Pakistan . However, we would be happy if India remains part of this project. The Iranian Deputy Minister has already left for Delhi , where he would be discussing the pricing and other issues with the Indian side and hopefully they would be able to work out an agreement.

- When asked to comment on the meeting between All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders and the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the spokesperson said:

We have been emphasizing all along that Kashmiris must be part of the dialogue process. If they do not participate directly in the talks, they must at least be associated with the process. This is part of the trilateral engagement in which Kashmiri leaders are meeting among themselves and leaders of Pakistan and India and we welcome it.

- In response to a question whether she agreed with the observation that there was a lobby in the Indian establishment which was trying to derail the dialogue process on Kashmir, because whenever the Kashmiri leaders wanted to meet the Indian Prime Minister, incidents of terrorism like bomb explosion and violence occurred, the spokesperson said:

The recent killing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir was unfortunate and was an act of terrorism and we condemn it. We understand the Indian Government and IOK administration would be carrying out investigations. It would be premature to say who is behind it. We are not in the business of conspiracy theories.

- When asked to comment on Pakistan-US strategic dialogue in Washington last week, the spokesperson said:

Various aspects of the bilateral relationship were reviewed during the meeting and both sides agreed to deepen and broaden it. The Foreign Secretary and his US counterpart agreed that the working groups on different subjects would meet over the next two months. This would be followed by another round of talks between our Foreign Secretary and US Under-Secretary Nicholas Burns.

- When asked to elaborate the Foreign Secretary's statement on mining and fencing parts of the Afghanistan border, the spokesperson said:

There is cross-border movement on Pakistan-Afghan border. People from Afghanistan were also entering Pakistan and creating trouble here, while we are doing all we can, we expect the other side to also take equally strong actions. Fencing and mining of the border to deter this movement alongside the border is an option that can be explored.

- When asked to comment on the killing of an Indian Engineer in Afghanistan , the spokesperson said:

It was a terrorist act. Many Pakistanis working in Afghanistan have also been killed. This incident reminds us how many Pakistanis have lost their life.