kobiraaz
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2010
- Messages
- 9,831
- Reaction score
- 0
- Country
- Location
Dhaka, Nov 9 (bdnews24.com)—Foreign Minister Dipu Moni on Friday placed Bangladesh's demand before Pakistan for an unconditional apology for the genocide of Bengalees its troops had carried out in 1971, during her meeting with the visiting Pak Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khan.
But Khar responded to the demand by advising Bangladesh to look forward and forget the past, Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes told reporters after the meeting.
Khar landed in Dhaka at 10:15am in the morning on a five-hour trip. She went straight to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held a nearly 30-minute meeting with Dipu Moni.
Thereafter, she met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence, Ganabhaban, and handed over the invitation letter from Pak Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to attend the upcoming D-8 summit.
The eighth summit of the heads of government of the D-8 countries in Islamabad is scheduled to begin from Nov 22.
The Pak Foreign Minister did not say anything to the reporters about the issues discussed in her meeting with Dipu Moni.
Mohamed Mijarul Quayes told reporters that Dipu Moni placed her demand for unconditional apology for the genocide in 1971 at the meeting.
Bangladesh emerged as an independent country after battling Pakistan for nine months in 1971. At least three millions people were killed in the massacre by the Pakistani army during the war while more than 200,000 women were raped and murdered.
Quayes said, "She [Hina Rabbani Khar] referred to 1971 and said the matter of seeking apology will come by gradually. She said they had already expressed regrets several times in various ways since 1974."
He said Dipu Moni emphasised on the unresolved issues including unconditional apology for the genocide. "We said that we have to move forward by resolving the unresolved issues. We hope that Pakistan will also come forth."
Quayes said they [Pakistan] think it was time to forget the past and look forward.
"But there was not enough time to discuss issues in the short meeting," he added.
The special flight carrying her landed at 10:15am at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital. Quayes received her there.
From there, she went to the Foreign Ministry at the capital's Segunbagicha at 11:15am and called on Dipu Moni.
Khar will attend a luncheon thrown by Dipu Moni at Hotel Ruposhi Bangla in the capital at noon.
She will also meet opposition leader and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at Khaleda's Gulshan residence before leaving Dhaka at 3pm.
This is first time a Pakistani minister is visiting Dhaka during the tenure of the Awami League-ruled government.
Bangladesh-Pakistan bilateral engagement in the last four years was limited to a visit of Bangladesh's Education and Commerce Ministers and Speaker to Islamabad and Foreign Secretary-level official consultations in Nov 2010.
But Khar responded to the demand by advising Bangladesh to look forward and forget the past, Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes told reporters after the meeting.
Khar landed in Dhaka at 10:15am in the morning on a five-hour trip. She went straight to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held a nearly 30-minute meeting with Dipu Moni.
Thereafter, she met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence, Ganabhaban, and handed over the invitation letter from Pak Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to attend the upcoming D-8 summit.
The eighth summit of the heads of government of the D-8 countries in Islamabad is scheduled to begin from Nov 22.
The Pak Foreign Minister did not say anything to the reporters about the issues discussed in her meeting with Dipu Moni.
Mohamed Mijarul Quayes told reporters that Dipu Moni placed her demand for unconditional apology for the genocide in 1971 at the meeting.
Bangladesh emerged as an independent country after battling Pakistan for nine months in 1971. At least three millions people were killed in the massacre by the Pakistani army during the war while more than 200,000 women were raped and murdered.
Quayes said, "She [Hina Rabbani Khar] referred to 1971 and said the matter of seeking apology will come by gradually. She said they had already expressed regrets several times in various ways since 1974."
He said Dipu Moni emphasised on the unresolved issues including unconditional apology for the genocide. "We said that we have to move forward by resolving the unresolved issues. We hope that Pakistan will also come forth."
Quayes said they [Pakistan] think it was time to forget the past and look forward.
"But there was not enough time to discuss issues in the short meeting," he added.
The special flight carrying her landed at 10:15am at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital. Quayes received her there.
From there, she went to the Foreign Ministry at the capital's Segunbagicha at 11:15am and called on Dipu Moni.
Khar will attend a luncheon thrown by Dipu Moni at Hotel Ruposhi Bangla in the capital at noon.
She will also meet opposition leader and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at Khaleda's Gulshan residence before leaving Dhaka at 3pm.
This is first time a Pakistani minister is visiting Dhaka during the tenure of the Awami League-ruled government.
Bangladesh-Pakistan bilateral engagement in the last four years was limited to a visit of Bangladesh's Education and Commerce Ministers and Speaker to Islamabad and Foreign Secretary-level official consultations in Nov 2010.
?
