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| February 1, 2002 | Friday | Ziqa’ad 17, 1422 |
Pakistan ready for dialogue at Munich: FO
ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: Although no meeting as yet is scheduled between Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar and the Indian government representative at Munich, Germany, the Foreign Office spokesman reaffirmed here on Thursday Islamabad’s position to meet India at any time, at any place and at any level to discuss and negotiate issues relating to peace and good-neighbourly relations between the two countries.
Spokesman Aziz Ahmad Khan was asked at his daily press briefing whether there would be a meeting at the sidelines between the foreign minister and the Indian National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra when the two arrive in Munich this week to take part in the Munich Conference on Security Policy organized by the Herbert Quandt Foundation.
Khan replied there was as yet no information who would come to the Munich conference from India. However, he recalled that Pakistan’s position was that it was ready to meet India at any time, at any place and at any level. If any possibility arose in Munich, “there will be no lack of enthusiasm from our side,” the spokesman said.
He said the foreign minister, who would visit Berlin, Munich and Brussels from Feb 1 to 4, would speak at the Munich conference on security policy, as also on the fight against terrorism, emergent prospects for peace and unity of Afghanistan and Pakistan’s efforts for dialogue to address the Kashmir dispute.
At the first appearance of Pakistan at the Munich conference, he would also meet the foreign ministers of Germany and Belgium.
In Brussels, he would meet European Union’s High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and EC Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten. The prestigious Munich forum has been regularly attended by China and India.
The spokesman said the foreign minister will also brief his counterparts on the Pakistan government’s political and economic reforms, the fight against extremism and the unfolding roadmap for the “reconstruction” of democracy in the country.—HA
UNFORTUNATE: Khan said India’s rejection to hold dialogue for a phased withdrawal of troops from the border was “unfortunate,” adds APP.
“It is unfortunate that such an eminently good gesture from Pakistan has once again been spurned (by India) on some flimsy pretexts,” he said to a question at the news briefing.
Responding to another question, Khan said the problem of Kashmir cannot be resolved through press statements.
To a question about the Pakistani prisoners arrested in Afghanistan, Khan said the government had received some lists while some others were on way.
Responding to yet another question, the spokesman said an invitation was extended to the Iranian President which had been accepted and the date of the visit would be announced after it was finalized.
Military spokesman Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi underlined that despite the existence of the LoC for a long time, there was daily firing by the Indians from across the Line of Control.
“The problem, therefore, seems to be the LoC,” he said, adding, “a problem cannot be a solution.”
He said trying to get at a solution without talks or without getting into negotiations was not worth much.
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