News
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Envoys’ moot deliberates foreign policy
ISLAMABAD: The two-day envoys’ conference deliberated on ‘different aspects’ of the country’s foreign policy on Monday with special focus on suggestions to review the relationship with the United States and NATO, Foreign Ministry sources said. The conference is considered significant as the civilian and military leadership have decided to review the future relationship and terms of engagement with the United States and its Western allies in the wake of last month’s unprovoked NATO attack on two border posts that killed 24 soldiers. “We are reviewing the terms of engagement with NATO and the US,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abdul Basit said ahead of the conference. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar presided over the conference and Inter-Services Intelligence Chief Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha briefed the participants about the NATO strikes on the first day of the deliberations, the sources said. Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) Chairman General Khalid Shameem Wyne also attended the conference. Ambassadors and high commissioners from nearly 15 key capitals are participating in the conference, which is deliberating on different aspects of Pakistan’s foreign policy, sources said. Pakistan’s designated ambassador to the US and envoys from Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany, Russia, Belgium and Thailand are participating in the conference. The envoys’ conference was called after the US-led NATO fighter jets and helicopters carried out what Pakistani leaders viewed as an intentional attack on two border posts in the country’s Mohmand tribal region, bordering Afghanistan. Political analyst Syed Mushahid Hussain said that Pakistan review of its foreign policy must focus on maintaining good ties with all neighbours as attention is now diverting to East from the West. Sources said that the conference was mainly discussing Pakistan’s relations with the US and its Western allies in view of their threats, Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan especially after the withdrawal of foreign troops by 2014, relations with arch-rival India and how to further cement ties with neighbouring countries. online
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk