News
Friday, December 02, 2011
PM rules out possibility of attending Bonn moot* Gilani says decision to boycott conference is final
* Pakistan can work with US, NATO by devising new rules of engagement
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday said that Pakistan’s decision to boycott the Bonn Conference in protest against the NATO/ISAF attack and violation of its sovereignty was final and taken collectively.
“How we can attend the conference when our sovereignty came under attack,” Gilani said while responding to callers from across the country in a live PTV’s Prime Minister Online programme.
The soil of Afghanistan was used against sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan, he added.
He said that the decision of staying away from the Bonn Conference was taken after thoughtful consideration and after the meeting of the Federal Cabinet, which also endorsed the decisions of halting NATO supplies and vacation of Shamsi airbase, taken by the Defence Committee of the Cabinet.
The decision was unanimous and taken with collective wisdom and keeping in view sentiments and aspirations of the people, he said, adding, “If we sit in the Bonn Conference and another attack takes place who will be responsible for that.”
“When German Chancellor Angela Merkel asked me to attend the conference, I told her that the matter is referred to a high powered Parliamentary Committee on National Security,” he added.
He said in his opinion, the decision not to attend the conference was in line with national honour, self-respect and dignity.
He denied that it was being considered to send Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar to Bonn.
The prime minister said that Pakistan could work with the United States, NATO and ISAF under a new agreement and by devising new rules of engagement.
“We have to formulate new rules of engagement and we can work under a new agreement.”
The prime minister said it was up to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security to give recommendations for a decision on ties with the US and NATO.
He said the military government of Pervez Musharraf first decided the rules of engagement with the US and NATO.
To a question, he said the international community condemned the NATO attack on the Pakistani posts.
He said he would attend the meeting of the National Security Committee of Parliament on Friday and the members would be briefed on the NATO attack and other issues. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk