NEW YORK, April 5: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday asked the United States to reconsider a package civilian nuclear deal for India and Pakistan “with a view to preventing a nuclear arms race in the region”. Delivering a keynote address to a large gathering at Columbia University, Mr Aziz asserted: “In my view, a major opportunity could be lost if such a package deal is not considered,” noting “there is still time to rectify the situation”.

Mr Aziz said that a “selective and discriminatory approach will have serious implications for the security environment in South Asia as well as for international non-proliferation efforts”.

In what could be deemed a policy statement of Pakistan’s world view, Prime Minister Aziz’s keynote address was dubbed “Pakistan: creating an architecture for international peace and security”.

Speaking about the thorny Indo-Pakistan relationship, Mr Aziz while noting that “the composite dialogue process on all outstanding issues has served to reduce tensions and promote confidence-building measures, he stressed: “There is a need to make progress on resolving substantive issues especially the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir.” “We must now move from dispute management to dispute resolution so as to achieve durable peace,” Mr Aziz said.

“Pakistan “, Mr Aziz said “recognizes that a Kashmir solution must be acceptable to all three parties— Pakistan, India and above all the Kashmiris.” We have demonstrated flexibility, courage and passion to resolve this issue, proposing ideas such as self-governance, demilitarisation and joint management,” as he urged India to respond.

Mr Aziz told the audience: “As part of our effort to promote international security, Pakistan has offered a Strategic Restraint Regime to India aimed at stabilising nuclear deterrence in South Asia and avoiding an arms race in strategic and conventional weapons.”

Later Mr Aziz answered questions from the audience.