March 13, 2003	Thursday	Muharram 9, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, March 12: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri has said Pakistan is behind the scene trying to get an action against Iraq delayed to give the weapon inspectors more time to complete their work.

Speaking to newsmen here on Wednesday in the lobbies of parliament house, the foreign minister said he was in continuous touch with the foreign ministers of many influential countries. He told that he had talked to the Mexican foreign minister last night and had earlier telephonic conversations with his other counterparts, including those of Russia, the UK and US etc.

“In view of UN chief inspector Blinx’s latest report, in which he has admitted that Iraq was implementing destruction of its long-range missiles, the process should be given more time,” Kasuri said.

Right now, he said, the efforts made by Islamabad were aimed at keeping unanimity of the UN Security Council intact, which was of a pivotal importance for the future of the world peace and other disputes as the issue of Iraq was not the last one which the world body had to resolve.

He asserted that in the opinion of Pakistan, the UN Security Council must not be divided on this issue and any question in future as it might put the world peace in jeopardy. Pakistan had a role to play in the matter, he added.

The foreign minister said that to say that Pakistan would abstain on the resolution or give a negative vote as was demanded by the opposition was premature since “we are unaware as yet of the total contents of a fresh resolution moved in the Security Council”.

Pakistan, he maintained, would take a decision by keeping its national interest as well as multi-lateral interest above all other considerations.

He strongly contested the question whether Iran and Pakistan would be the next American targets after Iraq. Pakistan was a responsible member of the international community as it had decidedly fulfilled so far all its obligations, he said.

Mr Kasuri also stated that Pakistan’s command and control system was put in place two years ahead of India, which had been acknowledged and commended by international defence journals including Jane Defence journal.

Pakistan’s defence programme, he said, was transparent and therefore it was known to all about the Pakistani weapons which were in safe hands.”It was not helping any country in this connection including Iran,” he said.