News
Friday, July 13, 2012
NATO supply resumed without any incentive: FO
* Foreign Office says MoU on NATO supply soon
* Pak-India foreign ministers would meet in first half of September
By Imdad Hussain
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Khan on Thursday said that memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Pakistan on NATO supplies has not been signed yet but he was hopeful that it would be signed shortly.
While replying to queries during his weekly briefing at the Foreign Office, he said that the technical-level discussion between the two countries pertaining to reopening of NATO route, suspended after November’s Salala attack killing 24 Pakistani soldiers.
“The technical-level discussions have almost been completed and now we are going through the internal processes of finalising the MoU, and we are quite hopeful that it will be signed shortly.”
When he was asked about recent statement of American officials regarding stressing steps against militancy in the Tribal Areas, he referred to Clinton’s recent telephonic conversation with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and said, “I think Secretary Clinton was very clear when she said that they respect Pakistan’s sovereignty and that they want to have a strategic, enduring and well-defined relationship with Pakistan.”
On the issue of terrorism, both countries take it as a common threat and want to work closely to address this issue, he said. “So, let us not get into what Panetta said as we had already issued a press release in response to his statement. Let us try to focus on what Clinton said, and she was very focused as to how both countries should move forward,” he added.
To another question, Khan said that Cameron Munter was a good friend of Pakistan. In fact it is the responsibility of every ambassador or high commissioner to improve the relationship between the countries they are accredited to, and the country they represent.
To a question of possibility of going to the UN against drone attacks, the spokesman said as far as Pakistan’s position on drone attacks was concerned, it was very clear, and very clearly stated even in the press release issued by the DCC. This is an issue and both countries want to resolve it in a mutually acceptable manner, he added.
On charges for NATO supply, he said, “I will again refer to the press release issued after the DCC meeting which very clearly states that we did not close the NATO supply routes for any financial gains. Let us remain focused as to why we closed the supply routes, and why we opened them. It was a principled decision. We closed it on the principle of sovereignty, not for any money or financial gains.”
To a question on status of 32 Pakistanis in Bagram jail, Khan said that this issue had already been discussed at various levels. He said, “We have been discussing it at various forums. We have also sent written communications to the American side in this regard and have raised it in high-level talks with the Americans. Besides, our embassy in the US is also in touch with the US government on this issue.”
Regarding reconciliation process in Afghanistan, he said that in the Tokyo conference, “We had good discussions on this issue in the trilateral talks at the ministerial level.”
The meeting was basically about the reconciliation process and how to take this process forward in a meaningful way and how the three countries can help each other in this regard. He referred to the last trilateral meeting of the foreign secretaries held in the city, in which the three countries established two different core groups, one to facilitate the travelling and the movement of the Afghan leaders, and the other was regarding the de-listing process.
On Pak-India talks, he said the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers would meet in the first half of September, and the dates were being finalised for that.Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk