April 8, 2003	Tuesday	Safar 5, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

ISLAMABAD, April 7: Pakistan wants the United Nations to continue to play its role in finding a peaceful resolution to the Iraq problem and wants an end to hostilities.

This was stated by the foreign office spokesman when he was asked at his weekly news briefing on Monday to comment on the America’s assertion that it alone would determine the post-war structure for Iraq, which would initially be governed by a US general.

Spokesman Aziz Ahmad Khan said Pakistan’s position remained the same as that of several other countries of the world. It wanted a cessation of hostilities, peaceful resolution of the problem, and a role for the United Nations.

He said Pakistan as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council had been playing a useful role in deliberations on the Iraqi crisis and remained cognizant of the situation and would react appropriately. At present, Pakistan was contributing to informal consultations at the UN.

Replying to a related question, the spokesman said that Islamabad believed that UN weapons inspectors team looking for any hidden nuclear or biological weapons in Iraq under a UN Security Council resolution was working satisfactorily till the Iraqi conflagration broke out.

The spokesman told a reporter in reply to a question that Pakistan and the United States “enjoy very good relations” and said that US Secretary of State Colin Powell had already stated that the US had no intention of going after any other country (after Iraq). The reporter had asked for a comment on the reported speculation that Pakistan and some other countries might be the next victim on the US decision-makers’ list.

Mr Khan gave no credence to the reports, but observed that Pakistan was capable of defending itself.

About Indian threats of a preemptive strike, the spokesman said it was not Pakistan but India that had remained in default of UN resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.