KARACHI: S. Korean envoy seeks stronger trade ties Peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue urged
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 3: South Korea on Wednesday emphasized the need for an early, peaceful and negotiated resolution of the Kashmir issue.
The ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Joen Bou-guan, expressed these views while speaking at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs on the impact of President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s recent visit to his country.
“We would like to see the resolution of this issue as soon as possible, peacefully and through a bilateral approach, because tension between India and Pakistan can destabilize South-West Asia,” said the ambassador. The meeting was presided over by PIIA Chairman Fatahyab Ali Khan.
The ambassador said his country had faced problems because of the tense relations between Islamabad and New Delhi.
Responding to a question about his country’s role in Afghanistan, he said South Korea was exchanging information and was committed to the reconstruction of the country, for which material was being sent through Karachi.
About the outcome of Gen Musharraf’s visit to South Korea, he said the two countries had agreed to cooperate in information technology and exploration of mineral resources.
Under the arrangement, a South Korean oil company would send a team to review technical requirements for exploration in Pakistan, he said.
He emphasized the need for improving bilateral trade relations, which were worth about $700 million, far below South Korean trade with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
He said South Korean export to Pakistan was to the tune of $400 million and Pakistan’s export was estimated at $260 million.
He said Pakistani exporters must try to diversify their products to make maximum gains.
He said about 9,000 Pakistanis were working in South Korea.
Describing the president’s visit as “very useful and productive,” he said it took place at a time when the world was passing through a great transition, especially since the changes in Afghanistan and Iraq. He said the political changes in the two countries were affecting world peace and stability. The visit also marked 10 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
He said that during the visit the South Korean president appreciated Pakistan’s role in the fight against international terrorism and explained his country’s views on the multilateral initiative for resolving nuclear issues related to North Korea.
Both sides deliberated on developments in Indo-Pakistan relations and the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq, he said.
He said Gen Musharraf had made it clear there was no cooperation between North Korea and Pakistan in the transfer of nuclear technology. In the past Pakistan had imported missiles from North Korea, but there were no such relations anymore, he quoted the president as saying.
In reply to a question, he said Pakistan’s relations with North Korea would not affect its ties with Seoul, though there were initially some concerns over the nuclear issue.
He said that if North Korea renounced its nuclear programme, his country was prepared to give all kinds of assistance to it.
He also answered questions about the unification process, United States bases on the South Korean soil and his country’s role in Central Asia.
TENSION: He said easing of the tension between Pakistan and India and the improvement of relations between them would contribute towards peace in the subcontinent, adds APP.
The envoy said there existed a potential for enhancing economic ties with Pakistan because of its cheap labour and a big market.
Replying to a question, he said his country desired that North Korea should join the international community like other civilized countries.
He said there were as many as five million divided Korean families but most of their members were very old and many had passed away.
