WASHINGTON, June 18: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Monday that Washington was concerned about the political crisis in Pakistan and underlined the need for `free and fair’ elections.
“Well, of course, we’ve been concerned about the situation in Pakistan. And any time there is violence, we’re concerned about it,” she told reporters before talks with her Pakistan counterpart, Khurshid Kasuri, at her office.
She was asked about the violence and US interests in the region amid the crisis arising from the action against of the chief justice.
“We have a very intensive engagement with the Pakistani officials at this important time,” Dr Rice said.
Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher had said, during his visit to Pakistan last week, that the United States expected elections should be `free, fair and transparent’ and conform to international standards.
But he indicated there was no pressure on President Musharraf to quit the post of army chief.
In her statement, Dr Rice said: “There are an important set of events coming up, when there will be elections in Pakistan.
“And the importance of those elections being free and fair, as a foundation for a more democratic Pakistan, I think, is very clear.”
The holding of `free, fair elections’ was one of the topics of Dr Rice’s discussion with Mr Kasuri.
KASURI ON UNIFORM: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri suggested in an interview on Monday that President Musharraf would give up his post as army chief by year’s end as `political opponents have demanded and the constitution requires’.
Mr Kasuri arrived in Washington on Sunday for an intensive round of 40 meetings over three days — including talks with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates.
The minister played down his trip as routine consultations with US officials.
The president `has said he will not violate the constitution. The constitution allows him to wear it (his army uniform) untilthe end of the year ... I cannot put words in his mouth, but he has said, not one, but one thousand times, that he will abide by the constitution,” Mr Kasuri told Reuters in the interview.
Pressed on whether Americans should conclude from his remarks that the president will definitely vacate his army post, Mr Kasuri said: “I will repeat what I said. President Musharraf has said umpteen times that he will abide by the constitution. So I think you have a response there.”—AFP/Reuters
Anwer Iqbal in Washington adds: Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, talking to reporters after his meeting with Dr Rice, said the United States was not mediating between President Musharraf and the opposition, but the Americans were interested in what’s happening in Pakistan.
Mr Kasuri said that the visits of three senior US officials to Islamabad in less than a week were `just a coincidence’.
He dismissed the suggestion that his visit to Washington may also be linked to US-Pakistan consultations on the current domestic situation.
“You know, such visits are not held at a short notice. My visit was planned three or four months in advance,” he said.
Mr Kasuri laughed off the suggestion that the US was negotiating a deal between President Musharraf and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
“I don’t know why our people feel that way,” said Mr Kasuri. “I am interested in American elections, what happens here, who comes to power. Similarly, they are interested in what’s happening in Pakistan. So that’s very regular.”
“So no mediation,” he was asked. “Mediation ka keya masla hai (why mediation),” said the foreign minister.
“All I am saying is, as a well-wisher of Pakistan she wanted to know what the situation was and when the elections will be held. That’s all. Nothing else. But our focus was on bilateral relations and Afghanistan.”
Mr Kasuri said that the domestic situation came up when the two of them were talking about the media coverage of the visit to Islamabad by three senior officials last week, including Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher.
“We were joking that when the two of them went there, the newspapers were full of why they went there together and I joked and said now they are going to be guessing why I have arrived here.”
“But she did show interest in the forthcoming elections?”
“She was asking me keya haalaat hain, kon si date hai, (what’s the situation, when will the elections be held … nothing special,” said Mr Kasuri.
He said that since Mr Bush’s visit to Islamabad in March last year, President Musharraf has visited the US, Mr Boucher has been there several times, he is here and there have been other visits too.
Emphasising his point that all these talks were part of ongoing consultations between the two countries, Mr Kasuri disclosed that Secretary Rice may visit Islamabad soon, although the dates have not yet been finalised.
