THURSDAY MARCH 15: ICBC decision to cause no adverse impact on IP project: Hina

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar Wednesday declared that the Chinese bank's decision to withdraw from funding Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project would not have any adverse effect on the multi-billion dollar venture, saying multiplicities of sources were available to fund any project.
"Pakistan has repeatedly said that we cannot afford to be selective in pursuing the Iran-Pakistan gas project and we would continue to purse whatever we consider would be in our national interest," Khar said while responding to a query during a news conference that she addressed along with her Swedish counterpart Carl Bildt here at the Foreign Office.
"There are always multiplicities of funding sources which are available for pursing any project," she said while referring to the reports that Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has backed off from providing financial advisory services for the project. She said the Economic Co-ordination Committee Tuesday set up a committee to find out possible resources and to clarify what was available and what not.
She, however, said she would not jump to conclusion as to what source of fund was available for IP project, but added that it was a very viable project. According to her, we hope we will not have any problem in trying to find ways and means for ensuring this project.
The Foreign Minister said that during her meeting with the Swedish counterpart, the two countries agreed to double the bilateral trade volume to $900 million from $450 million by 2014. She said that President Asif Ali Zardari had already said that the solution of most of the problems would be through increase in our volume of trade with the international community, especially with the European Union.
She described her meeting with the Swedish foreign minister as useful, saying the two countries would continue to work to increase the bilateral relations and to enhance trade. "We have a heavy agenda and want to develop our relations on people to people contact basis," she said, adding that Sweden would help Pakistan in the renewable energy sector and it would also support the country in the construction of small and medium dams.
She said a mechanism was being developed to increase Swedish investment in Pakistan. She said that an investor from Sweden invested $100 million in Pakistan in 2010. Khar further said that a five-year plan had been cleared with the European Union and Pakistan wanted that the plan should be institutionalised. "We need more access to the European markets to import our industrial goods," she remarked. Khar further said the issue of Afghanistan also came under discussion during the meeting and reiterated Pakistan's support to an Afghan-led and an Afghan-owned peace process in that country. She said the Parliament was considering terms of engagement with the United States, Isaf and Nato.
She also expressed the hope that the international community would fully respect the terms of engagement to be approved by the parliament. She further said that Pakistan wanted to assist western forces in Afghanistan with a smooth exit from the war-torn country but added that Pakistan had to ensure that all stakeholders were on the same page.
To a question, she strongly condemned the Kandahar incident and demanded that all those involved in the killing of innocent Afghans should be brought to justice. "We understand that this was an isolative incident but we condemn this act in the strongest possible terms and we want that the person responsible for this act must be brought to justice," she said.
Speaking on the occasion, the Swedish Foreign Minister said he had very constructive and useful talks with the Pakistani officials. He said his country would continue to work to provide access to Pakistani goods in the European Union countries. Referring to the issue of Afghanistan, he said that now the Afghan National Army had got training and was maintaining law and order. He said his country's support would be intensified during the period of transition in Afghanistan.
To a question, he highly regretted the Kandahar incident in which innocent people were killed, but said it would not have any impact on his country's policy in Afghanistan. When asked to comment on the last year November 26 Nato air-strike on Salala border posts, the Swedish Foreign Minister declined to comment on the incident, saying "I don't know."
He also lauded Pakistan's foreign policy and efforts to bring stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan's role in Afghanistan was important and his country would continue to support it. He said his country would support the dialogue process between Islamabad and Kabul to achieve their goals. "I am glad while visiting a democratic Pakistan and my country is willing to develop political dialogue," he said. He said his country provided humanitarian assistance to Pakistan during floods in 2010.