The visit of a Pakistani official delegation to Palestine and also the future course of relations between Islamabad and Tel Aviv were discussed between the foreign ministers of both the countries during a meeting in Istanbul on Thursday.
The meeting, first since the inception of the two nations nearly 60 years ago, was sponsored by the leaders of the Turkish government and, according to Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan, was cleared with the Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah.
President Pervez Musharraf, according to the top foreign policy administrator, had telephoned the two Arab leaders on Thursday and was told that it was a "helpful initiative".
Despite the fact that it was a first contact between the two countries and that too at a ministerial level, the foreign minister rejected suggestions that meeting implied "recognition of Israel".
However, he emphasised that the meeting could provide an impetus to the Middle East peace process by making Israel realise that reasonableness on its part in respecting the aspirations of the Palestinian people could draw positive response from the Islamic world.
The foreign secretary declined to disclose the number of countries Pakistan had informed about the Istanbul meeting, except saying that there were quite a number of those, and with some he had spoken personally.
Although he declined to go into details of discussions in Istanbul, what he said in a written statement could be a part of what Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri must have conveyed to his Israeli counterpart, Silvan Shalom.
He said Pakistan stood by the Palestinian people in their cause for the establishment of an independent state with Al-Quds as its capital.
The Israelis had moved their capital from Tel Aviv to Al-Quds (Jerusalem) after wresting the eastern part of the city from Jordan in the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict. The Arab countries that recognise the Jewish state and have diplomatic relations with it do not accept the position and insist that the city should be restored to Arab control. Some have suggested declaring Jerusalem as a free city, while others have talked of putting it under a dual control.
In a statement issued after the meeting in Istanbul, Foreign Minister Kasuri described it as an important development that could prove to be a new beginning in relations in the region.
He said that he had requested the Israelis to provide facilities for the visit of a Pakistani delegation to Palestine.
Kasuri's statement circulated at the news conference said: "I would like to express our gratitude to the brotherly government of Turkey and Prime Minister Recep Tayyep Erdogan for facilitating this meeting. I would also like to thank Senior Minister Professor Mehmet Aydin and Mr Egemen Baigs, Foreign Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister and Member of the Turkish Parliament for their assistance in this regard.
"The meeting with the Israeli foreign minister here in Istanbul today is a gesture to underscore the importance that we in Pakistan attach to Israel ending its occupation of Gaza. We see this development as the beginning of the process of vacation of Israeli occupation and the establishment of Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security. The step can thus well lead to durable peace in the region.
"Our gesture should demonstrate to Israel that the Islamic world will respond positively if it is ready to accept the imperatives of peace by respecting the fundamental rights of the Palestinians to live in freedom and peace in their own homeland.
"This is an important development and can prove to be the beginning for the realisation of Palestinian aspirations as well peace and security for the State of Israel.
"Pakistan would like to see that the process started with the withdrawal from Gaza is now continued in the West Bank for the establishment of the Palestinian state.
"The meeting today does not mean recognition. That stage will come following progress towards the solution of the Palestinian problem. Our position on Palestine issue remains unchanged.
"Pakistan and President Musharraf have an important role to play in the Islamic world. Our decision will help the Palestinian cause. Having started our process of engagement, we hope we will be able to play our role more effectively with Israel to respect the aspirations of the Palestinian people.
"In this regard, I would like to refer to the visit of President Mahmood Abbas to Pakistan early this year, in which he had said that taking into consideration the respect and prestige that President Musharraf enjoys internationally, he would like President Musharraf to use his good offices with the international community for a just and peaceful resolution of the Palestine dispute.
"President Abbas had also requested the Government of Pakistan to send a delegation to Palestine. Accordingly, we are sending a delegation to Gaza and Al-Quds and we have requested the Israeli side to facilitate this.
"Prior to the holding of this meeting, Pakistan had informed some friendly governments. President Pervez Musharraf had also spoken to President Mahmood Abbas, who has welcomed this meeting.
"It is important that Israel is encouraged to continue to pursue the course of peace and vacation of its occupation. The Palestinians must see progress towards a realisation of an independent homeland with Al-Quds as its capital and Israel be assured that it will live in peace and security.
"Solution of the Palestinian problems will weaken and extinguish extremism and terrorism in the region.
"Islam is a religion of peace. Islam and other faiths have lived in peace and harmony for centuries and can do so in future too."
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