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| 21 February 2004 | Saturday | 29 Zilhaj 1424 |
Damage contained, says Kasuri
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20: Pakistan has managed to navigate through multiple challenges, including the 'saga' of Dr A.Q. Khan, said Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Friday.
"Since Pakistan's policy has been active, successful, and proactive, the fallout has been contained," he said. Talking to journalists, the foreign minister said Pakistan's close interaction and multifaceted relationship with the United States was evidenced by numerous contacts and communications, exchange of visits and telephone calls between the top leadership of the two countries.
Paying tributes to President Gen Pervez Musharraf for his engagement at the highest levels of US administration, he said despite unstable conditions in the world "we have managed to successfully navigate Pakistan through multiple challenges. The latest illustration of which is A.Q Khan's saga".
He said there was a growing appreciation for the investigation that Pakistan conducted in this regard. Referring to the increasing Pakistan-Europe interaction, Mr Kasuri said comprehensive discussions were held on nuclear non-proliferation, developments in Pakistan-India relations, Afghanistan and multilateralism during the EU Troika's recent visit to Islamabad.
He said Europe had appreciated Pakistan's role in the coalition against terrorism, reconstruction of Afghanistan, and maintenance of peace in the region. The EU external affairs commissioner, he said, praised developments relating to the settlement of the LFO issue.
He said the Polish president, prime minister and foreign minister had been invited to Pakistan and added that Poland had expressed desire to expand cooperation, especially in the commerce sector, with Pakistan.
Mr Kasuri said he would be meeting Palestinian Foreign Minister Farouk Kaddoumi on Monday. Mr Kaddoumi, he added, would also call on the president and the prime minister during his visit to Islamabad.
Pakistan, he said, supported the emergence of an independent Palestinian state. He reiterated Pakistan's stance that no durable peace in South Asia was possible without addressing the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
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