The United States is yet to reimburse the suspended $800 million military aid to Pakistan despite intense diplomatic efforts. But Foreign Office on Saturday said that Washington has reconfirmed that it would continue its assistance in civilian head.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua, in her weekly briefing, told media persons that Washington has reconfirmed that it will continue its assistance in the civilian head, while for the military assistance and other issues she added that diplomatic engagements and discussions were going on between the two allies in the war on terror.
US military officials said that about $800 million aid, which also included $300 million Coalition Support Fund (CSF), has been suspended as American trainers were expelled from Pakistan in May. The military aid includes intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance equipment, small arms and military hardware used to dispose of explosives.
Tehmina said that there were two areas in which Pakistan was receiving US assistance-civilian and military. On civilian assistance, she said, US Deputy Secretary of State Tom Nides spoke to the Minister of Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh the other day, confirming that the civilian assistance would continue, while about the military assistance, the spokesperson said that discussions were underway with the US for its continuation.
"There are intense diplomatic engagements between the two countries, including visits from both sides", she said, adding that Pakistan believes that there is strategic convergence that would lead to a win-win situation, on both sides, and this would be in accordance with the resolution of joint session of the Parliament.
She reiterated that Pakistan attaches importance to its relations with the United States, and also referred to the remarks of the US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Grossman who stated the other day that US was committed to positive and forward looking engagement with Pakistan.
About the Pakistan-India ministerial level meeting, she said that the meeting will be held as per schedule in New Delhi at the end of this month, preceded by a meeting of the two foreign secretaries, and dates of the meetings are being worked out. She dispelled the impression of delay in Foreign Ministers level talks between the two countries, and that dates were being finalised, keeping in view the engagements of Pakistan and Indian foreign ministers. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar will lead Pakistan's delegation to the Pak-India Ministerial level dialogue.
Tehmina said that terrorism and counter-terrorism issues were an important part of the bilateral discussions between the two countries. "Pakistan has categorically condemned the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The people of Pakistan, who have suffered terrorism, understand and share the suffering of the victims and their families", she added.
The spokesperson said that both Pakistan and India have suffered from terrorism, and there was a need for greater co-operation to eliminate the common threat. She said that the working group of Cross-LOC CBMs relating to trade and travel of Kashmiris would meet in New Delhi on Monday. Director-General South Asia Ms Zehra Akbari will lead Pakistan delegation in the meeting.
Regarding any process in Afghanistan on peace and reconciliation, she said Pakistan believes that it was up to the Afghan people and the Afghan government to take decisions with regard to their own future. "What we support, and would continue to support, is an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan", she added.
She said that several bilateral and trilateral processes were underway to ensure revival of peace in Afghanistan. She said that Pakistan also condemned the assassination of Wali Karzai, brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. When asked to comment on the decision by UN Security Council to take off Taliban from the sanctions list, she said that Pakistan supports the Afghan government in its efforts to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan, and added that the resolution adopted by the UNSC, dealing with the Taliban, was a follow-up of the resolution 1267 that allows for a process of de-listing. A number of names have been proposed for de-listing, she added.
She said that Hina would lead Pakistani delegation to the 18th Ministerial meeting of the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) to be held in Bali on July 22 and 23. The ARF Forum, comprising 27 members including China, the EU, the Russian Federation and United States, is an important forum to deliberate on traditional and non-traditional security concerns in the Asia Pacific region, will provide the opportunity to discuss such vital issues.
She added that Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir was to leave for Ankara on Saturday, July 16, for regular political consultations and for discussions on the regional and global situation. About the signification of Bashir's visit, the spokesperson said that although it was regular annual consultation with Turkey, but any proposal for peace and security in the region and suggestion for reconciliation process for Afghanistan could also be discussed in the meeting with the Turkish leadership.
About security threats to Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, the spokesperson said that Al-Qaida has threatened all Pakistani officials and institutions; therefore, precautionary measures have to be taken for the security of the government officials. The spokesman said that President Asif Ali Zardari was undertaking a one-day visit to Tehran on Saturday on the invitation of the Iranian leadership, where he was to hold meetings with the Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenai and his counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
About the visit she said this was an important visit integral to Pakistan's on going efforts to deepen engagement with a brotherly neighbour. It also aimed at widening horizons of multidimensional co-operation and an essential part of our reach out to regional states for continuous consultations, co-ordination and co-operation on issues of stability and peace. "Pakistan attaches special significance to joining efforts of immediate neighbours in an endeavour to bring peace to Afghanistan and to reversing the tide of terrorism that has afflicted the region", she added.
Comments
Comments are closed.