May 12, 2006	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 13, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 11: Poland’s Vice Foreign Minister Witold Waszezykowski said here on Thursday that Nato should develop the capacity “to combat” international terrorism and allow dispatch of “expeditionary forces” for the purpose.

Though political and economic methods were preferable, “the military option must not be ruled out”, he said in a talk at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad on the sideline of his official consultations with Pakistan foreign office.

Already the US-led anti-terrorist coalition had demonstrated that “stable states can meet the challenge despite cultural differences among them”, he said.

There was “growing awareness for closing ranks”, he added.

He called for making UN Security Council “more representative” to prevent spread of weapons of mass destruction to failing states.

“We will always be facing conflicts,” he said, explaining that globalization gave rise to not only modernity but also to radicalism in the underdeveloped world, and religious demagogues of failing or failed states used it to fan terrorism.

Though 9/11 shocked “the democratic societies”, he said the cataclysmic events “neither opened nor closed a chapter in world affairs”.

Recalling with horror the joyous scenes then witnessed in the streets of Gaza and Ramallah in Israeli-occupied Palestine, Mr Waszezykowski said he was Poland’s ambassador in Iran at that time and was appalled to see Iranian newspapers displaying a picture of “the suffering of Palestinians” along side the picture of attack on the Twin Towers under the message that the US was paying the price for its pro-Israel policies in the Middle East.

His remarks, by his own admission, proved “provocative” to many in the audience, including diplomats of Muslim countries.

“Do you not see a connection?,” asked a former Pakistani ambassador, referring to the pictures in the Iranian newspaper and their message.

“No, I don’t,” shot back Mr Waszezykowski, adding after a pause: “I’m not sure if the West is responsible for what is going on in Palestine”.

Interestingly, the Uzbek ambassador in the audience informed Mr Waszezykowski that he was serving as ambassador in Israel at that time and only a few and not the mass of Palestinians felt joyous at the event.

While the Sudanese ambassador pleaded with Mr Waszezykowski that in reforming the UN “we should go for new concepts and not new organisations”, his Eritrean colleague wanted to know from him “who would decide a state is failing or has failed and on what basis?”

“Obviously disrespect for democracy, for human rights is the criteria. Undemocratic states have no right to cooperation from us and should not have a say in international affairs,” replied the Polish official.

A Pakistani student reminded him that Hamas was elected democratically but the Western countries punished Palestinians for that.

“They (the Palestinians) committed a mistake. Democracy may be misused to kill it,” said the Polish official citing the Nazi past of Germany.

“Democracy means not just voting but balance, respect for human rights and recognition of the right of other states to exist,” he said.

When the Egyptian ambassador said “democracy should not be imposed from outside”, and suggested addressing “the root cause of terrorism”, the Polish vice foreign minister retorted that many Arabs in position had told him in private that they wished for “a friendly push, sometimes even a harder push” from outside.

“That wish was true for combating terrorism too,” he added.

As for addressing the root cause of terrorism, he said “the poor don’t commit terrorism but political desperados do”.

There occurred “not a single act of terrorism” in the European nations under communist oppressive rule, he said.

Czech ambassador said the information technology had as much to do as national resistance in freeing East European states from communist rule. It was a dilemma that the same technology in the hands of terrorists was posing a danger and inviting repressive action.

“Yes, it is proving a dilemma how to use police methods without becoming a police state,” agreed Mr Waszezykowski.

But the sharpest exchanges took place over West’s threats to Iran on the latter’s nuclear fuel cycle programme.

“Iran has no need to enrich uranium for fuel as it can buy same in the market. We are frightened and thrilled by (Iran’s) political rhetoric of wiping out (Israel) and fear misuse of nuclear weapons in its hands,” said the Polish official.

His remark that he did not know if Israel possessed nuclear weapons sent the audience into laughter, making him to add that ”at least irresponsible action is not expected from Israel because it is a democracy”.