Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri has said that neither Pakistan has bowed down to anybody's dictation nor will there be any unilateral flexibility when it comes to discussion on Kashmir dispute. He was addressing a press conference at the State Guest House here on Thursday to brief journalists on Kashmir options President Pervez Musharraf had announced for discussion in Islamabad.
The foreign minister said that there would be no unilateral flexibility in matters relating to Kashmir dispute.
"There will be bilateral, mutual flexibility between Pakistan and India to make meaningful progress on Kashmir dispute resolution. Discussions do not move forward with showing flexibility in disputed matters," he added.
Kasuri said that Pakistan had made it clear that any solution would not be possible without involving Kashmiris in the whole process.
"Anything that is not acceptable to the people of Kashmir will not be acceptable to Pakistan. It should be understood by all in clear terms," he said.
He said that President Musharraf had not given any solution of the dispute, but had only given some food for thought and a basis for initiating discussion on probable issues and their appropriate solutions.
Kasuri said that the President had suggested, as an option, to demilitarise the entire Kashmir, which had seven regions. Out of which, two are with Pakistan and five with India, he said.
The foreign minister said that he had gone through some statements and reactions from the opposition parties. They had criticised the President for "suggesting probable solutions" of the Kashmir dispute, whereas the President has simply asked to initiate debate on possible options that can lead to an acceptable and amicable solution of the long standing Kashmir dispute, he added.
He said that former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif had been making efforts to initiate dialogue with India, had been coming out with options and trying to involve all the stakeholders in finding a solution of the problem.
He said that asking for a dialogue was an indication that there would be some give and take, some reconciliation and some appreciation of each other's point of view. Bhutto and Sharif knew it and took initiative to discuss flexibility needed to reach some solution, he added.
Kasuri said that the two leaders and their partymen were now critical of the same move initiated by President Musharraf.
"Can dialogue/talks take place in isolation or on the basis of one party accepting the other party without any objection?" Kasuri posed the question, and said that it would be foolish to think this way.
"Mutual flexibility is indispensable for progress, he added.
He said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman visited Delhi and met the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and talked about improvement in mutual relations.
Kasuri said that the efforts by these leaders showed that they accepted the principle of flexibility to initiate a dialogue.
He said that their criticism of president's suggestion to initiate discussion Kashmi options was uncalled far.
He said that he would urge media to initiate a cool-minded discussion on the various options on Kashmir and facilitate the two countries in reaching at some conclusion.
To a question Kasuri said that India had its reservations. They want closed-door talks instead of open debate or any kind of public discussion. "What they have in their mind we do not know but they are equally keen to reach some solution."
He said that it should be clear to all that
(1) "we cannot accept line of control as final boundary (2) no solution of Kashmir dispute is acceptable to Pakistan, which is not acceptable to the people of Kashmir. 3 Kashmiris must be involved in the entire process of dispute resolution.
Earlier, Kasuri briefed leading editors, senior columnists and prominent writers on the same issue.
APP ADDS: To a question, Kasuri said the result of the US presidential elections next month would have no bearing as far as the Pakistan-America ties were concerned.
He said: "Any government in the US would need Pakistan as much as we need America." The Foreign Minister said that "when both the countries need each other, then there should be no cause of any concern."
He stated that "whosoever will come to the White House after winning the next month's election, it would be in his own interest to have good friendly ties with Pakistan."
Kasuri, however, pointed out that the presidential election was an internal matter of the United States.
To yet another question, the foreign minister said that "Pakistan is an important country and has a vital geo-strategic situation."
He also pointed out that Pakistan was also pursuing a successful foreign policy."
Kasuri further said that "the economic position of our country is much better now with a GDP growth rate of 6.4 percent".
He pointed out that "we are the only nuclear power in the Islamic world and are playing an important role in the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC)."
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