ISLAMABAD, July 30: A democratic, economically strong and tolerant Pakistan is vital for successfully meeting the challenges on the diplomatic front.

This was the overriding view articulated at the ongoing Pakistani Envoys Conference convened here by the Foreign Office to review key foreign policy issues and to set directions in accordance with the regional and global developments, sources told Dawn.

The guest speaker at the Wednesday session, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Mohammad Aziz Khan, outlined the internal security challenges and the external threats to Pakistan. He also talked about the country’s defence capabilities and the importance of economic security for the government.

Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Gen Ehsanul Haq also spoke at the conference and briefed the foreign policy professionals on major national security issues.

The conference endorsed greater engagement with United States at all levels and underscored the need for Pakistan to focus on a viable and sustainable bilateral relationship with the US.

The general view was that Islamabad-Washington relations that currently hinge on the cooperation in war on terrorism should be made more predictable and long-term. That Pakistan should make the best of the post 9/11 window of relationship with the US.

The opportunity, it was emphasized, should be used to promote a long-term economic relationship with the world’s sole super power.

On the defence issue it was stressed that a symmetry in the conventional weapons side should be addressed given Pakistan’s security concerns vis-a-vis India.

Envoys agreed that projecting the image of Pakistan as a moderate and democratic Muslim state would yield promising dividends for the country in the international arena.

Attention was also drawn to the regional competition for wooing the US as a strategic partner. In this context it was emphasized that Pakistan should pro-actively redress the growing Indo-US ties that were being pursued by India since the early Nineties.

During discussions on the recent thaw in Pakistan-India relations it was reiterated that Kashmir remained the core issue for Pakistan.

The envoys maintained that the test for diplomacy of the two countries was to hold a dialogue. It was pointed out that Pakistan had responded in good faith to the peace talks offered by the Indian prime minister and that it was closely and cautiously watching moves by the Indian side.

On the issue of sending troops to Iraq there was a consensus that Pakistan should send troops to Iraq only under the mandate of the UN, the OIC or the GCC.

The UN umbrella, however, was advocated as the preferred option.

The recognition of Israel also came under discussion. The dominant view was that it should be linked with the Middle East roadmap implementation.

President Pervez Musharraf will chair the concluding session of the conference on Thursday. Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali is also expected to attend the session.