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Wednesday, September 29, 2010
World must push India for Kashmir resolution: Qureshi* FM says Islamabad ready for talks with New Delhi provided a ‘positive response’ is received to suggestions aimed at making meeting ‘meaningful’
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan on Tuesday urged the international community at the United Nations to persuade India to end its repression in Kashmir to pave the way for settling the decades-old dispute “in accordance with the UN resolutions”.
“Human rights of the Kashmiri people must be respected, and their voices heard to create an enabling environment for a peaceful solution to the longstanding Kashmir dispute,” Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the UN General Assembly in a sharply worded speech.
At the outset of his wide-ranging address, Qureshi also drew attention to the huge human and material damages caused by the unprecedented floods in Pakistan and thanked the UN, the country’s development partners and other friends “for standing up with us” in coping with the difficult challenge. He called for an early conclusion of the climate change negotiations, noting Pakistan’s vulnerability to the impact of global warming.
Pakistan is willing to engage India in a comprehensive dialogue to normalise relations between the two countries by finding amicable solutions to all outstanding issues, including the core Kashmir dispute. “A peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions and taking into account the aspirations of the Kashmiri people would create conducive atmosphere for durable peace and stability in the South Asian region,” he told representatives of member states arrayed in front him in the gold-and-blue hall of the 192-member assembly.
Meaningful: Islamabad stands ready for talks with New Delhi on issues such as Kashmir provided a “positive response” is received to its suggestions aimed at making the meeting “meaningful”, Qureshi added.
Amid continuing speculations about the possibility of his meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, Qureshi dispelled the impression in India that he was setting conditions on holding the talks, saying Pakistan only wanted the talks to be purposeful.
“It is this firm conviction that has enabled our democratic government to remain steadfast in its resolve to fight terrorism and extremism, even as we have to deal with the massive destruction caused by catastrophic floods. Our national consensus and resolve to fight extremism and terrorism remains unshaken,” the FM said.
Stereotyping: He said Pakistan strongly rejected the stereotyping of Muslims as terrorists. “Islam is a religion of peace, compassion and brotherhood. Terrorism is a complete antithesis to Islam’s humanistic outlook and noble values,” he added.
On disarmament and non-proliferation, Qureshi said, “We believe this should be pursued in an equitable and non-discriminatory manner.” app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk