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| 06 March 2004 | Saturday | 14 Muharram 1425 |
Straw calls for bridging gap between Islam and West
PESHAWAR, March 5: Appreciating the ongoing military operation in the Waziristan region, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Friday welcomed President Gen Pervez Musharraf's call for 'Jihad against extremism'.
"I warmly welcome President Musharraf's call for Jihad against extremism in Pakistan in order, as he (the president) has said, 'to protect a true image of Islam which stands for peace, love, brotherhood and harmony'," Mr Straw elaborated.
Delivering a lecture on 'engaging with Islam' at the University of Peshawar, Mr Straw emphasized the need for bridging the gap between the Muslim world and the West.
He focused on the measures the British government had taken to promote harmony among different cultures and religions to making the world a peaceful place.
"We need to promote a closer reading of our (Islam and West's) shared history ... of the common roots of the three great monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - and of the centuries of cross-fertilization between Islamic and Western civilizations, which have benefited both," said the foreign secretary.
However, he appeared evasive when Dawn, during a question-answer session later, asked for his views on giving a permanent seat to any of the Muslim countries on the UN Security Council to engage the Muslim world at the highest international forum.
"It has several aspects to it, the size (of the country) ... it is an interesting question, but let me first think over it," replied Mr Straw. The UK foreign secretary paid a short visit to Peshawar on Friday, on the last leg of his three-day visit to Pakistan, before leaving for Kabul.
In his lecture, he welcomed Pakistan's role in helping the international community combat terrorism by netting over 500 suspects since 9/11. "The Pakistan army is carrying out crucial operations in Waziristan aimed at rooting out Al Qaeda and Taliban elements."
Mr Straw praised President Musharraf's call for reforms in seminaries, which, he noted, played a crucial role in the education system of Pakistan. The president, he maintained, is right to condemn practices such as honour killings.
"I welcome his concept of 'enlightened moderation' because of its recognition of the need - shared by all societies - to work continually to promote tolerance and combat extremism."
Referring to Tuesday's Quetta and Iraq killings, Mr Straw said: "In the fight against terrorism, we are all in the frontline". Describing terrorism as murder, he said terrorism should never be defended or excused by reference to an alleged cause, maintaining that "terrorists discredit any cause they claim to pursue".
However, he admitted, no major religion had been immune from fanaticism which sought to use it as a justification for violence. "There is sometimes a tendency to think of the most extreme form of religion as being the most pure, but when any faith or ideology is taken to the point where it denies the humanity of others it becomes not pure but perverted," said Mr Straw.
KASHMIR ISSUE: The foreign secretary called upon the world community to work jointly to defuse conflicts 'which terrorists exploit'.
Recognizing the Kashmir imbroglio as of utmost international significance side by side the Palestine-Israel conflict, he welcomed improving relations between India and Pakistan.
Long-running conflicts, maintained Mr Straw, should not remain unattended nor should chronic instability. "It [improving relations between Pakistan and India] should have a positive impact on all people of the region, above all for the Kashmiris," said Mr Straw, adding "we all have a stake in greater security and prosperity in South Asia and we in Britain stand ready to help the process of dialogue".
He said the resolution of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians and the Kashmir issue would help towards building a better understanding between the Muslim world and the West.
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