JAKARTA, July 2: Pakistan was formally accepted on Friday as the 24th member of the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) in a move that could lessen tensions in the region and with fellow nuclear power India.
Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri welcomed Islamabad's accession to the grouping, which represents all the world's major powers, but said it should not be seen in the context of relations with India.
Talking to reporters, he said he would continue to maintain dialogue with Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh. The real challenge, he said, was for diplomats of both sides to come forward with an acceptable solution involving the people of Kashmir.
"I don't want to go into specific solutions. It's not really going to be productive in terms of bringing about a solution to the dispute if we start talking about it (in the media)," Mr Kasuri said.
"Pakistan and India should try to resolve issues peacefully because too much is at stake, both are nuclear powers, both have the means to deliver nuclear weapons." "It is eminently sensible for them to do so (resolve issues). One-third of the world's poor after all do live in South Asia and it's largely because of continuing and persisting tension between Pakistan and India," he stressed.
"I think both governments realize the need to resolve the Kashmir issue," Mr Kasuri added. The foreign minister said Islamabad's inclusion in ARF was a recognition "that Pakistan is playing a very important role, not just in promoting stability in the Islamic world but also in regional and international peace."
Talking to reporters, foreign office spokesman Masood Khan described Pakistan's inclusion as 'a major victory of its foreign policy'. Mr Khan said the announcement of Pakistan becoming a full member of ARF was warmly greeted by the member countries and their foreign ministers congratulated Mr Kasuri.
He said US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh also congratulated Mr Kasuri. He said Mr Natwar Singh assured Pakistan of his country's cooperation at the forum.
Pakistan is the 24th member of ARF which aims to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest. ARF links the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) with 13 other Asia-Pacific states and the European Union.
AMITY TREATY SIGNED: Pakistan and Japan on Friday signed a Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The treaty already governs relations among the 10 Asean members Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and promotes regional peace and stability.
China and India signed the pact with Asean last October. The Southeast Asian countries, as well as Japan and Pakistan, belong to the 24-member Asean Regional Forum, the Asia Pacific's only security forum.
The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia, signed at the first Asean summit in 1976, declared that in their relations with one another, the high contracting parties should be guided by certain fundamental principles: Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and national identity of all nations; The right of every state to lead its national existence free from external interference, subversion or coercion; Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another; Settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner; Renunciation of the threat or use of force; and Effective cooperation among themselves. -Agencies
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