April 7, 2003	Monday	Safar 4, 1424

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LAHORE, April 6: The United States has assured Pakistan that Washington’s economic assistance and military sales to Islamabad will remain unaffected despite sanctions on the Kahuta Research Laboratories, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said on Sunday.

At a “Meet the Press” Programme of the Lahore Press Club, the foreign minister said there was no justification for sanctions as the very allegation on the basis of which they had been slapped was baseless.

“The United States has assured us that economic assistance, military sales and other programmes will remain unaffected,” he said.

Mr Kasuri said Pakistan was a responsible country, conscious of the concerns of international community on nuclear proliferation. Pakistan’s Command and Control System was excellent and there was no possibility of its nuclear weapons falling into irresponsible hands, he added.

Referring to India’s missile programme, the minister said Pakistan was not afraid of it as Islamabad’s missile technology was more advanced and sophisticated than that of New Delhi’s. Pakistan’s missile programme, he said, was indigenous and self-sustaining, dependent on no foreign country.

He said Pakistan was capable of defending itself because of the unity of the nation and preparedness of its armed forces. In such a situation if India committed aggression, he warned, it would have to repent and would get a befitting reply.

Ridiculing his Indian counterpart’s threats, Mr Kasuri said they were childish, aimed at pleasing the electorate in the states where polls were about to be held. He said he would not like to stoop to the level of his counterpart to offer any comment.

He said Pakistan wanted to normalize ties with India but serious talks with the neighbour would be possible only after the completion of the electoral process in various states next year.

In reply to a question, he said it was a wrong impression that the US had written off $1 billion in loans because of any ‘service’ by Pakistan on the Iraq issue. He said the commitment had been made during President Pervez Musharraf’s visit to the US about a year ago and had been honoured now.

IRAQ ISSUE: The foreign minister said Pakistan would send relief goods to Iraq, timing for which would be decided after clearance from bordering countries like Jordan, Turkey and Kuwait. Modalities for the purpose would be decided in consultation with the United States, UK and Qatar, he said. Pakistan’s ambassadors were in contact with these authorities, he added.

He said parliamentarians were sending medical delegations to Iraq, which was an appreciable gesture.

Mr Kasuri recalled that Pakistan had been consistently opposing war on Iraq and wanted a solution of the crisis through the UN Security Council. He said Pakistan wanted the world body to implement all its resolutions without discrimination. Resolutions on Kashmir and Palestine should also be enforced as strongly as on other subjects, he emphasized.