ISLAMABAD, March 3: German and Pakistani officials met in Islamabad to hold talks on "UN matters" including discussions on expansion of the UN Security Council with Islamabad strongly opposing any increase in the permanent membership of the executive organ of the world body.
The "UN matters" were discussed during meetings of a senior German foreign ministry official, Director General for Global Issues and the United Nations at the German foreign ministry, ambassador Hans Joachim Daerr and Pakistan's additional secretary foreign affairs, Tariq Osman Haider here on Wednesday.
Mr Daerr flew into Islamabad on the second leg of his visit from Delhi and would be proceeding to Kabul over the weekend. He held talks with Mr Haider, additional secretary UN affairs at the foreign office, the official spokesperson said.
"The two sides discussed a wide range of issues, including UN reforms, security council expansion and reform, UN peacekeeping, fight against international terrorism, prospects for UN role in Iraq, situation in Afghanistan and work of the commission on Human Rights," Masood Khan said at his regular briefing.
Though the exact purpose of the senior German official's visit could not be ascertained, in response to a question about the purpose of his visit, Mr Daerr told Dawn: "I came for bilateral consultations on UN matters."
When asked if the visit to Delhi and Islamabad was related to expansion of the UN security council, Mr Daerr said it was one of the matters discussed. However, he said: "That was not the purpose of my visit."
In response to a query if he discussed with Pakistani officials the issue of non-proliferation under the UN agenda, Mr Daerr said the issue did not fall into his area of duties.
"When I left Pakistan to go back to Berlin, I was indeed in charge of arms control. Then, that would have been my affair. But now I have a colleague who succeeded me and he would come one day to discuss it but it is not my job," said Mr Daerr who served as German ambassador to Pakistan before holding the portfolio of arms control in the German foreign office.
