Pakistan on Thursday said that it is in the process of reviewing contours of relationship with United States in the backdrop of Nato attack on two Pakistani border posts in Mohmand Agency resulting in killing of two dozens soldiers and injuring a dozen other.
Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told a weekly news conference that in the light of the decisions of Defence Committee of the Cabinet and Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Islamabad was in a review process of its relationship with the US and that the terms of engagements with US-led Nato/ISAF in the war against terrorism.
To a question whether Islamabad and Washington were in contact to mend the fences in its relationship following the Nato attacks, he said "Obviously, we have our bilateral ties with the US and after the 26 November event, we are in the process of reviewing contours of our relations and the process is underway". He, however, declined to comment on the status of the Pak-US relations and completion of the review process.
The spokesman also clarified that the review was not meant in the overall foreign policy. He said that Pakistan has been pursuing a scrupulous foreign policy aimed at having better relations with all the countries on equal basis and under the charter of United Nations to ensure peace, security and stability in the region.
The spokesman said that Pakistan has always tried to gear its foreign policy to protect the territorial sovereignty and integrity and aligned it strongly with the national interests. In this regard, he said that a two-day conference of Pakistan envoys in selected countries would be held in Islamabad on December 12 to 13. "Ambassadors from selected countries will participate in the conference which will deliberate upon different aspects of the foreign policy", he added.
To a question, he said that Pakistan and Nato/ISAF has been discussing political framework for their future co-operation and so far there has been no progress in this regard. "A proposal to conclude a Pakistan-Nato Political Declaration was discussed at some stage but no concrete progress has been made so far", he added.
When asked to comment on Afghan President Karzai remarks, who held a banned outfit, Lashkar-e-Janghvi, responsible for Kabul Ashura attack, the spokesman urged Kabul to share the evidence that the banned organisation was involved in the recent bombing. He also called upon Afghan government to get out of blame game and move forward in a spirit of co-operation to fight the common scourge of extremism and terrorism.
"We condemn in strongest possible words the reprehensible crime, which resulted in the loss of precious lives", he said also expressing deep condolences with the bereaved families. He said extremism and terrorism was a global phenomenon and all of us should join hands to exterminate it. Yet to another question about ups and downs in Pak-Afghan relations, Basit said Pakistan cherishes the progress it has made during the last three years in building strong relations with Afghanistan. "We would like to take this relationship free from recrimination and blame game", he expressed the hope. "The destinies of both the countries are intertwined and it is our endeavour to further strengthen relations with the neighbouring country", he remarked.
About boycott of Bonn Conference, the spokesman said the decision was taken in sync with the national interests. However, he added that it should not be taken as our total disassociation from the process of peace and stability in Afghanistan. "We will continue to facilitate the process of peace and stability there, as peace in Afghanistan is in our larger interest", he added.
To another query about Pakistan relations with Russia, he said the ties between the two countries were witnessing an upward trajectory. "We are working on a possible high level visit early next year to Russia before the presidential elections in the Russian Federation", he said adding that Pakistan-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission is likely to meet early next year.
He further said that there were several proposals being discussed in various areas between Pakistan and Russia likewise up-gradation of Pakistan Steal Mill. He said that Russia has also evinced interest in TAPI and CASA-1000 while work is also in progress on these two projects on how to engage Russia.
To a question Australian government's decision to export uranium to India, the spokesman Pakistan has taken up the matter with the Australian government and expressed the hope that facilities as available to India will also be made available to Pakistan. "Pakistan has always tried for a non-discriminatory regime for co-operation in civilian nuclear technology. Pakistan is an energy deficient country and our energy needs have been multiplying. We, therefore, strongly believe that these non-discriminatory approaches do not help and Pakistan will look forward to benefiting from nuclear technology for peaceful purposes", he added.
About giving Most Favourite Nation (MFN) status to India, the spokesman said cabinet has taken the decision formally in this regard and now the Ministry of Commerce will finalise the details in this regard which will be completed by October 2012. About the confessional statement by Kashmiri leader Ghulam Nabi Fai, he said that Islamabad was awaiting details of his reported confession from its Embassy in Washington DC.
When asked why Pakistan delegates did not boycott a speech by the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council about gay rights, Basit said that Pakistan has always tried to develop consensus on controversial issues. "We would like to discuss and place our position on the table rather than boycotting discussions", he added. About Pak-China relations, he said that the two countries were celebrating 2011 as completion of 60 years of diplomatic relations, adding that Pak-China relations were time-tested. "Pakistan and China Friendship as it is often said is higher than Himalayas and deeper than the oceans", he added.
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