Zardari to attend conference in Russia next week

President Asif Ali Zardari will leave for Russia next week to attend a quadrilateral regional conference on security issues. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia and Tajikistan will attend the conference that would focus on the security issues in the region.
Foreign office spokesman, Abdul Basit said that besides discussing the security issues, the president would also utilise the forum for getting support of the participants for the flood-affected people in Pakistan. At the weekly press briefing, the spokesman said that no agreement to be signed among the participating countries, as the forum is not a bilateral but a quadrilateral. The spokesman also expressed his ignorance about signing of the anti-drug trafficking agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan, saying that he just did not know anything about it.
Responding to a question, the spokesman said the response of the international community for the flood affectees is appreciable and encouraging. He hoped that the international community would realise the degree of calamity in Pakistan and give maximum assistance.
The foreign office, he said, has activated its missions and asked diasporas in different countries to take part in fund raising campaign as Pakistan needed a lot of money to help the flood victims. He said that a relief cell has been set up in the foreign office to co-ordinate with the missions abroad. He added that the foreign minister would arrange visits of the foreign diplomats to the flood-hit areas across the country.
Answering another question, he said that India should accept the fact that Kashmir is an issue and it must be resolved as per wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that Kashmir issue could be resolved if people of Kashmri should be given the right of self-determination. Pakistan would continue its moral, diplomatic and political support to them, he maintained.
Commenting on a story published in an American newspaper about perception of people of Pakistan which has again changed in favour of military's intervention, the spokesman said that Pakistanis are democrats and like to see democracy flourishing in the country, hence the story is baseless.