August 28, 2007	Tuesday	Sha’aban 14, 1428

KARACHI, Aug 27: Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri said on Monday that Pakistan was committed to maintaining nuclear parity in South Asia. Giving an overview of the country’s foreign policy during the past five years at a news briefing here, he said the policy was focused on regional and international peace and security and economic and social development of the people.

Mr Kasuri denied that Pakistan was taking dictation from outside. However, he did not categorically answer a question whether foreign forces operating in Afghanistan had crossed the border and attacked targets inside Pakistan.

“Positive trends were being witnessed in relations with the neighbours, including China, as well as the US, the EU, Russia, East Asia, Japan and the Muslim world.”

He said he believed that the menace of terrorism could not be eradicated without addressing its root causes.

Responding to a question about the India-US nuclear deal and its possible fallout on Pakistan, the foreign minister said that nuclear parity would be maintained in South Asia and Pakistan would continue to build nuclear reactors for its energy needs and strategic nuclear balance.

About ties with India, he said that while the two countries had come a long way from the eyeball-to-eyeball situation through a number of CBMs, there was a clear need to make progress on substantive issues.

“Kashmir is the core issue pending a settlement. We have made it clear to India that now the two countries need to move from conflict management to conflict resolution. We have been engaged with India on back-channel diplomacy aimed at resolving the Kashmir issue.”

He said that Pakistan had proposed an agreement on cruise missile, but India had not responded. Now that Pakistan had tested a more sophisticated cruise missile, he said, the issue was now expected to be taken up.

Mr Kasuri said that bilateral talks on Wullar Barrage would be held in New Delhi on Aug 30This will be followed by a review meeting at the foreign secretary level and the fourth round would culminate with the foreign ministers’ meeting.

Since the commencement of peace process, bilateral trade has increased manifold. Trade between the two countries has increased from less than $200 million in 1999to $1.677 billion.

At the recent meeting of the commerce secretary, the two sides agreed to increase the bilateral trade to $10 billion over the next few years.

The minister said that peace in Afghanistan would ensure peace and tranquility in Pakistan and would enable both the countries to serve as a bridge for trade and commerce between Central Asia, South Asia and beyond.

DURAND LINE: Referring to the Pakistan-Afghan jirga held in Kabul, the foreign minister said some positive results had been achieved as it recognised terrorism as a common threat and recommended that the war on terror should continue.

When asked to what extent the jirga could facilitate in resolving the Durand Line issue, Mr Kasuri said that it was a non-issue and that Pakistan’s borders were settled.

Friendship with China, he said, remained the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy. “Defence cooperation between the two countries is excellent. JF17 aircraft, Ffrigate and Alhalid tank projects are a testimony to the assistance received from China.”

Mr Kasuri said that bilateral trade had increased from $1.314 billion in 2002 to $ 5.24 billion in 2006. “The government is also working for a balanced trade with China.

A buying mission from China had visited Pakistan in July to place orders worth over $200 million,” he said.

The foreign minister said that relations with the United States were based on “commonality of interests and shared commitment to promote global peace, security and development”.

The volume of trade between the two countries was $2,994 million in 2001which rose to $5,849 million in 2006, he added.