FO denies presence of Blackwater
FO denies presence of Blackwater
Friday, September 18, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said there is no presence of Blackwater in Pakistan. Addressing a weekly briefing here, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit while quoting the statement of the Interior Ministry said there is no presence of Blackwater in Pakistan
The spokesman said Pakistan would not allow any foreign troops to launch any operation against terrorists inside Pakistan. He said Pakistani forces are capable of fighting the terrorists and militants and they had proved it in the recent operation against such elements in Swatwill lead the Indian delegation from September 22-26, which will also include Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir is still in Islamabad and has not joined the presidential delegation. Though we are getting mixed signals about the two foreign secretaries meeting in New York, our sense is that Pakistan would be conveyed the dates about it before the Indian delegation leaves New Delhi, is one official view here.
Not ready to take chances, it is only when there is a firm date from South Block when Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir will leave for New York. The two foreign ministers are expected to meet in an environment of mutual distrust and suspicions with Zardari even hitting out at New Delhi that its continued anti-Pakistan propaganda would in no way undermine his US visit.
This issue was raised at the weekly briefing of the Foreign Office and when questioned on Zardaris remarks, the spokesman replied, He was saying that in the context of anti-Pakistan propaganda. We are confident that this propaganda would not achieve anything in the end because Pakistan in the context of fighting terrorism is working with full sincerity of purpose.
On the eve of his departure, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in a bid to nip media hype in the bud, mentioned the fact that there would be no breakthrough in a meeting with his Indian counterpart.
The spokesman, however, commenting on this added a hint of hope when he said, The foreign minister also said that we are going to this meeting with an open mind and when you go to a meeting with an open mind there is always a possibility of a positive outcome.
Pakistan, despite the cold shoulder and delaying methods of South Block says that the issue of Kashmir is sure to echo in New York especially in the OIC Kashmir Contact Group meeting. The president will also raise it in his address to the UN General Assembly, as has been the tradition.
We strongly believe that just and fair settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is absolutely essential for a lasting and viable peace in South Asia. So Pakistan will make a pitch for this issue again in New York this year. We would not relent in our endeavours towards creating an international environment where we have diplomatic support to resolve this issue in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, explained the spokesman.
The spokesman also spoke of issues with India on its eastern borders as was reflected in a recent statement by Admiral Mullen. These comments are correct in the sense that we have issues with India and we are facing problems of terrorism on our Western borders. There are issues on both the sides, said the spokesman.
CNN-IBN REPORT
The spokesman to a query did not reject completely the reports that Pakistans Ambassador in Washington had reportedly leaked some classified information to CNN and IBN, but rather took refuge in the word reportedly and replied, As you used the word reportedly, it will not be appropriate for me to comment in public on such official matters. The ambassadors communication had also been sent to the Foreign Secretary in the ministry.
******
The spokesman to a query took exception to the term ****** as coined by the Obama Administration and replied, First of all, we do not agree to this ****** term because Afghanistan and Pakistan are two different countries with different problems and situations. Secondly, we would not allow, under any circumstances, operations inside Pakistan by US forces and we have conveyed this several times to our US interlocutors and this is one of our red lines.
KERRY-LUGAR BILL
Pakistan has still not evolved any mechanism for the disbursement of $1.5 billion expected under this US law.
The question when raised got this response from the spokesman. Not yet. But we are working on that in consultation with the US. Let me clarify one thing; Pakistan government is not against or averse to transparency; we would rather encourage transparency and accountability at every stage because we want whatever assistance Pakistan receives, it should be utilised effectively and to the benefit of the people of Pakistan. What we have been saying is that we would like to reduce the administrative cost of this assistance so that it is cost-effective and maximum benefits reach to the people of Pakistan, he said.
Pakistan clearly says that it has a problem with the UK International Institute for Strategic Studies, which notes that Pakistan is a cause of instability in Afghanistan. The spokesman clarified that it was Pakistan, in fact, which was struggling with the effects of the prolonged conflict inside Afghanistan.
So, it is the other way around rather than Pakistan being a cause of instability in Afghanistan, he added. The spokesman rubbished assertions by Richard Holbrook that Al-Qaeda and certain other militant elements were after Pakistans nuclear secrets.
Calling this statement baseless and farfetched speculation the spokesman replied, We are very confident about our strategic assets and there is no danger to them whatsoever. We have very strong and ironclad custodial arrangements and mechanisms. The issue of their falling into wrong hand does not arise.
