News
Friday, May 04, 2012
Pakistan wants alternative to drone attacks: FO* Spokesman says Pakistan has a clear stand on drone attacks, and considers them illegal, counter-productive
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan was working with the US at various levels to resolve all outstanding issues, including an alternative to drone attacks, Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Khan said on Thursday.
Addressing a weekly news briefing, Khan said, “We have raised drone attacks issue with the US at various levels. We are trying to resolve this issue on a priority basis. There is a need to resolve all issues with the US.”
Pakistan had a clear stance on the drone strikes and considered them illegal, a violation of the country’s territorial sovereignty and counter-productive, Khan said. There has been interaction between Pakistan and the US at various levels to resolve outstanding issues in a mutually beneficial and acceptable manner, he said.
He said further Pakistan was currently holding talks with the US in line with recommendations adopted at a joint parliamentary sitting, adding that everything would be decided in the context of these guidelines, including restoration of NATO supplies that were closed after a cross-border NATO air strike.
To a question, the spokesman said the next meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet would review the mechanism to implement parliamentary guidelines to reset ties with the US.
Khan did not confirm whether the US had invited Pakistan to the NATO summit in Chicago this month, and said Islamabad had not yet decided on taking part in the meeting.
Pak-US ties and the issue to participate in the summit were discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency on Wednesday, but no final decision was taken regarding the summit, he said. The summit would discuss the withdrawal of foreign troops from the war-torn Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan had not put the Siachen issue on the back burner but Islamabad is making progress in finalising dates for talks with New Delhi.
Khan said top officials of both countries would hold talks this month on key issues, including the Sir Creek maritime boundary and counter-terrorism. Representatives from both countries would meet in New Delhi during May 14-16 to discuss the Sir Creek issue and interior and home secretaries of the two sides would meet in Islamabad during May 24-25 to discuss issues like counter-terrorism and measures to tackle drug trafficking, he added.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk