PARIS, Feb 5: Addressing the French Foreign Correspondents Club on the themes of War or Peace in South Asia and the Consequences and Perspectives of Sept 11, Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar let it be known that the time had come to “look into” what he referred to as the “root causes” of terrorism.
In his words, “we need a much deeper study of the subject in order to understand what effective measures need be taken to curb and eliminate the phenomenon, so that it not be the scourge for mankind that it’s been in recent years.”
He said such an approach should apply, for example, to determining what happened last Dec 13 when the Indian parliament in New Delhi was attacked. “Everybody in the world has condemned the incident, including Pakistan, but now the incident needs an objective investigation and the perpetrators be brought to justice.”
For the moment, he added, “this process is so far not credible,” and that in his estimation “we now need to address the factors that might be at the base of the thinking of the culprits who perpetuated the attack.” Rather than do this, he noted, “India has sent 1 million troops to her peaceful borders, we also brought forth our forces, between 350,000 and 400,000, but we have other preoccupations.”
As a result, he noted, quoting a diplomat whom he did not identify: “with 1.5 million troops in close proximity, tensions become very high, and a spark can ignite a conflagration.”
It was in such a climate, he added, that India had chosen recently to test one of its strategic missiles. As for Pakistan, which could have done the same, “we have tried our best to show restraint. But there is pressure within Pakistan to do the same.”
He noted, nevertheless, that President Musharraf had “decided not to add fuel to the fire, and rather find means with which to defuse the conflict.”
Among the means to be determined, he listed three: an agreement between Pakistan and India not to resort to terrorism or allow terrorists to prepare their acts on the soil of the other country; a “disengagement and de-escalation of forces,” this in order to reduce the chances of an “accidental conflict,” and, in his eyes, the most important of all, a continued dialogue between the two countries.
With regard to the latter, and resuming discussions arbitrarily terminated between the two countries last July, Mr Sattar said that Pakistan was “ready to discuss all issues. We do not have a one-question agenda, and are ready to put on the agenda all questions, all differences between the two countries, although determining the root cause (of the conflict) is at the top of our list.”
As for Israel’s alleged military involvement in India, Mr Sattar noted that “there are facts that require no comment,” although he did go on to indicate that according to Pakistani intelligence Israel had become India’s second largest supplier of weapons, at a cost of between $2 billion and $3 billion. “Whether this should continue is another matter. And as for what is the underlying basis (of Israel’s involvement in India) is open to speculation. Certainly, it is not a contribution to peace and stability in South Asia.”
As concerns elections that have been promised for the Fall, Mr Sattar affirmed that they would be held probably in the early part of October, and that Gen Musharraf had decided that “they have to be held,” this the result of the Pakistani Supreme Court decision ordering that they be held before October 12.
One of the major candidates expected to take part in those elections, suggested Mr Sattar, is former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who is now living in exile. Replying to a journalist’s question as to whether she continued to have a following in Pakistan, Mr Sattar referred to the conditions of her departure from the country, that “she left Pakistan before the present government took office in October 1999, and this to avoid a warrant of arrest issued because she refused to respect two previous summons.”
“Whether she decides to return is her decision,” he continued, “but one thing is quite clear: she will have to face the law.” As to whether her popularity has perhaps diminished since her decision to go into exile, Mr Sattar noted that “I’m sure she still has a following and that her party still listens to her on political issues. How much, though, I’m not sure. A great number (of her followers) are disappointed, however, that during her two terms as Prime Minister corruption was rampant, indeed that she and her husband played a possible role (in the corruption).”
As for Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, Mr Sattar noted that according to information he’d just been communicated by Islamabad, “there is hope in government circles that he is alive.”
He maintained that “the government is engaged in intensive investigation,” although it proved difficult that Sattar, for his part, “had never heard of the group that claims to have kidnapped him.”
In any case, he adds, “their agenda is not directed against Pakistan, but against the world.” He did chide Mr Pearl for having been “imprudent,” in going alone to a meeting with ostensibly one of his kidnappers. “He could have taken somebody along with him.” As a result, noted Mr Sattar, “there is a total lack of information regarding why Daniel Pearl went (to his meeting), and who were the persons he was going to meet. We are doing our best to trace him and rescue him. Once he is free, maybe we’ll know why he went (to his meeting) in the first place.”