India refused to take US dictation on Kashmir: WikiLeaks
An Indian newspaper, quoting WikiLeaks, published that India did not want US intervention on the Kashmir issue.
India also stopped Joe Biden from visiting India on the tour he was scheduled to visit Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. India considered that Biden’s visit to India along with Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq would give the impression that India too was a country of the level of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Weeks before the Obama administration appointed Richard Holbrooke as the Special Representative to Pakistan and Afghanistan, New Delhi sent a message to the United States that any move to include India in Holbrooke’s mendate would be “unacceptable.”
In April 2008, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told US Assistant Secretary of State Richard A Boucher that India-Pakistan relations could not be held hostage to the issue of Kashmir alone.
He told Boucher that the considered view of his party was that foreign policy should be based on strategic interests, not populism. The minister termed Nawaz Sharif’s approach as aggressive and said: “Our direction may be the same, but our tone may be different. We will have to be sensitive to public opinion.”
Sharif is more in line with the popular mood, said Qureshi during the meeting.
Fazal soon to be part of govt.: Qureshi
MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he is hopeful that Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman will soon be a part of the government.
While speaking with newsmen at Multan airport, he said that politics never have a smooth road; they have their ups and downs.
“The government has dealt softly with every party in its two and a half year period,” he added. TrendPK
Qureshi accuses India of violating consular access agreement
November 5, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that India is not providing consular access to Pakistani prisoners in violation of the agreement it had signed with Islamabad in October 2008.
In a written reply in the National Assembly today, the Foreign Minister said India is using delaying tactics to grant consular access to Pakistani prisoners.
“Under the agreement, New Delhi has freed only 157 prisoners in contrast to Pakistan, which has released 562 prisoners,” he added.
On October 20, 2008, Pakistan and India had inked an agreement on providing consular access to prisoners in each others’ countries. Trend Pk
Third round of Pak-US strategic talks opens today
October 20, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
Staff Report
WASHINGTON: The third round of strategic talks between Pakistan and the United States is set to begin in Washington today (Wednesday).
A high-level Pakistani delegation led by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is in Washington to attend the talks. The US team will be headed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The three-day talks will mull over various proposals aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in 13 different sectors, including agriculture, energy, education and health.
In addition, the two sides will also review the progress made during the last session of talks between Pakistan and the US.
Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani will also hold talks with top American military and civil officials. SAMAA
No time frame for NATO supplies restoration: Qureshi
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while protesting the recent NATO violations of Pakistans territorial boundaries, has said that no time frame can be given for NATO supplies restoration. On the other hand, Secretary General of NATO Anders Rasmussen has appealed for an immediate restoration.
In a meeting with the Secretary General of NATO in Brussels, Qureshi said that Pakistan would defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity at any cost. He made it clear to Rasmussen that the Government is available with many other options in case of similar violations in future. Qureshi said that no time frame could be given for NATO supplies restoration.
Speaking on the occasion, Rasmussen has confessed that NATO intentionally attacked inside Pakistans territory.
India criticizes Pakistan for bringing Kashmir issue at UN
Indias External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has criticized Pakistan for making unsolicited remarks in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the controversial Kashmir issue.
Reacting to the statement of Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the UNGA, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday said he was genuinely disappointed over the unacceptable reference made by his Pakistani counterpart at his address at the UNGA. Pakistan is a country that has enormous internal challenges confronting it, such unsolicited remarks cannot divert attention from the internal problems they are having, Krishna said, according to media reports here. Pakistan on Tuesday appealed to the international community at the United Nations to persuade India to end its repression in Kashmir. Urging an end to the dispute in keeping with UN resolutions, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the human rights of the Kashmiri people must be respected, and their voices heard to create an enabling environment for a peaceful solution of the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
Talks possible if India accepts suggestions: Qureshi
September 28, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
NEW YORK: In the midst of speculation about an Indo-Pak bilateral in New York this week, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that any talks between the two countries needs to be ‘meaningful.’
At this stage, Qureshi noted that a bilateral was still worked out, and Islamabad had sent “some suggestions” through diplomatic channels to New Delhi about these talks.
Without going to specific details about these “suggestions,” Qureshi said that he was now awaiting a response from the Indian side.
“The talks can take place immediately if a positive response is received,” the minister said, noting that any meeting should produce results.
Pointing to disputes over Kashmir, Siachen and water, Qureshi said, “How can Pakistan talk to India without these subjects being on the table.”
Qureshi also refuted claims that Pakistan was putting
Obama to address US on Iraq transition
September 1, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama must walk a fine line in a speech on Tuesday night as he highlights progress toward winding down the war in Iraq while trying to avoid any perception of a “Mission Accomplished” moment.
The White House says the removal of all but 50,000 U.S. troops and the declaration of the end to the combat phase shows Obama is fulfilling a campaign promise he made in 2008 to pull out of Iraq.
Obama hopes that message will resonate with Americans ahead of the November 2 elections, where his Democrats are struggling to keep their dominance in the Congress.
The address, scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT, will be only his second from the Oval Office. Obama also used the high-profile venue in June to discuss his administration”s response to the Gulf Coast oil spill.
As Obama prepared to deliver his speech, Vice President Joe Biden flew into Iraq on Monday to assure Iraqis the United States is not abandoning them.
Biden was to hold talks with Iraqi leaders amid a political deadlock almost six months after an inconclusive election in March over forming the next government.
Obama told media in an interview on Sunday that Iraqis are “going through a political process that is natural in a fledgling democracy” but he added, “we”re confident that that will get done.”
Obama plans to visit troops at Fort Bliss, Texas, prior to the speech.
India offers $20m for Pak flood affectees
September 1, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday announced additional $20 million assistance to Pakistan which is grappling with the worst floods in recent history of the region.
The announcement by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna in the Lok Sabha comes in the wake of Pakistan’s readiness to accept India’s initial aid offer of $ 5 million which is to be routed through the United Nations.
“As a more concrete assessment of the damage inflicted by this natural disaster and the urgent needs of the people of Pakistan emerges, Government has decided to increase its assistance to Pakistan from $ 5 million, announced earlier, to $ 25 million,” he said in a suo motu statement.
Of the total aid, $ 20 million would be contributed to the ‘Pakistan Initial Floods Emergency Response Plan’ launched by the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian efforts, he said.
The balance $ 5 million would be contributed to the World Food Programme for its relief efforts in Pakistan, Mr. Krishna said.
He noted that India had offered $ 5 million aid to Pakistan during his telephonic talks with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on August 13.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in a conversation with Pakistan Premier Yusuf Raza Gilani on August 19, had conveyed that India was ready to do more to assist the neighbouring country which is facing the worst floods in the past 80 years.
Pakistan was reluctant to accept the aid and agreed only after a nudge from the US. However, last week Pakistan conveyed to India to route the aid through the UN.
“We cannot remain unconcerned with this grave humanitarian crisis of enormous magnitude in our immediate neighbourhood,” Mr. Krishna said.
He noted that the recent floods have been described as the worst in that part of the region in the last 80 years.
According to the latest UN figures, 17.2 million people have been affected by the floods which have left 1,600 people dead.
More than 1.2 million houses have been damaged or destroyed besides widespread damage to infrastructure, Mr. Krishna said.
“All the four provinces of Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir have suffered the consequences,” he said.
Gilani meets Ban to discuss flood aftermath
A meeting is being held between Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who reached Pakistan this morningSunday.
The PM thanked Ban for taking personal interest in the flood crises facing the country. Sources said that both the men would discuss the flood situation and the destruction the natural calamity caused across the country. Earlier, UN chief Ban Ki-moon arrived in Islamabad to visit areas devastated by the countrys worst floods in history and to hold talks on relief efforts. He was greeted by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at Chaklala Airbase. Ban told reporters that he was in Pakistan to share the sympathy and solidarity of the United Nations with the people and government of Pakistan. Im here also to urge the world community to speed up their assistance to the Pakistani people, he said. We will try to mobilise all necessary assistance and remember that the whole world is behind the people of Pakistan in this time of trial. Up to 20 million people face direct or indirect harm. The United Nations believes 1,600 people have died, while Islamabad has confirmed 1,343 deaths.Ban would carry out an aerial view of the affected areas along with President Zardari besides visiting some relief camps in southern Punjab. The UN chief would also hold a joint press briefing with Zardari sometime in evening today.
