http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/index.html


All eyes set on Shaukat-Bush meeting

Pakistan won’t endorse N-Iran: PM

Vows to raise Bajaur bombing in tripartite commission meeting;

calls for moving beyond CBMs to settle Kashmir issue

By Salim Bokhari

UNITED NATIONS: All eyes are set on meetings of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz with President George Bush and senior US administration officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the secretary finance.

This will be the first encounter of Shaukat with American leaders on their home ground. Earlier, he had been meeting most of them when they visited Pakistan, most recently after the devastating earthquake on October 8 last year.

The prime minister has described his discussion with the US leaders as "vital" in ensuring peace and harmony in South Asia in the wake of President Bush’s visit to India in February next. He told The News that his talks with US leadership would focus five main areas — improvement of Pakistani economy, including access to American market for its goods particularly textile products; the latest developments in the ongoing India-Pakistan composite dialogue; seeking civil nuclear cooperation between the two sides; Afghanistan and issue of Iran’s nuclear programme.

The prime minister has conveyed to US leadership in categorical terms that Islamabad was against nuclear proliferation and would not endorse Iran producing atomic weapons. However, Pakistan was not against peaceful use of nuclear energy and it was a state’s legal right. He also made it very clear that Pakistan was making serious efforts to fight all forms of terrorism at home and abroad. "Our efforts in this connection are second to none," he is believed to have told United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan when he met him at the UN headquarters Friday afternoon.

Addressing a press conference at the office of the Foreign Correspondents’ Association, the prime minister spoke about his forthcoming talks in Washington with President Bush. He said the two sides would have wide ranging discussions on a host of issues. He said Pakistan and the United States are together in war against international terrorism.

Asked to comment on Iranian nuclear issue, the premier said Pakistan was against the nuclear proliferation in any form. "We are against producing nuclear weapons by Iran," he said, adding however, every country has a right to use the nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and Iran has a right to do so.

The prime minister said both Pakistan and India were trying and working to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the longstanding Kashmir conflict. He said Pakistan believes Kashmir needs to be addressed in line with the aspirations of Kashmiri people for sustainable peace in South Asia. He said once the two sides achieve progress on the Kashmir issue, India and Pakistan would make progress in tandem on other issues, including bilateral trade.

Shaukat said the time has come that India-Pakistan talks should move from confidence building measures (CBMs) with a passion for peace for substantive dispute resolution. Replying to a question, he said he and the UN secretary general had wide ranging discussions including the assistance extended by the world body for earthquake victims, UN reforms, Pakistan-India relations, Iranian nuclear issue and Afghanistan.

On the recent irritant between Pakistan and the US, Shaukat said the Pakistan government condemned the incident of aerial bombing in Bajaur. He said it is being investigated whether other people or high value al-Qaeda targets were present there. He said there is a tripartite commission comprising the United States, Pakistan and Afghanistan to monitor the situation in border areas and such matters are discussed in that forum.

The prime minister said Pakistan was totally committed to fighting all forms of terrorism. "Terrorism in no way provides a solution to problems, the world faces. Pakistan believes that terrorism has no place in a civilised society and Pakistan has been partner in the war against terror and will continue to do so," he added.

On the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, the prime minister said Pakistan was a fast growing economy and to meet its future energy needs it is looking at several alternative sources including importing it from Iran, Qatar and Turkmenistan and Pakistan would take any decision keeping in view its national interests.

Shaukat said the reform package proposed for the world body also came under discussion during his meeting with Kofi Annan. "Pakistan supports reforms in order to reinvigorate the world body to meet the future challenges," he said.

APP adds: "India, Pakistan and the Kashmiri people must show courage, leadership, magnanimity, flexibility and a passion for peace in order to find a credible and lasting solution to the question of Jammu and Kashmir. What we need is a passion for peace and that is what Pakistan is trying to achieve," Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told a news conference at UN Headquarters after "comprehensive" talks with Kofi Annan, who hosted a luncheon for him.

It was first press conference of Shaukat Aziz with the UN corps of correspondents as prime minister and he handled questions with great deal of confidence and in a smooth manner. Some veteran UN journalists called his interaction with the press impressive.

Replying to a question, the prime minister stressed the need for opening of all five points along the Line of Control daily rather than weekly as is being done presently. "We will also like to encourage trade between the two parts of Kashmir," he said.

When asked what provisions there were in the current dialogue regarding the right of Kashmiri families illegally forced out of their homes in Srinagar by the Indian-backed authorities, the prime minister said that was not yet part of the dialogue but it would be taken up at the right time.

Talking to a delegation of Muslim community leaders led by Imam Faisal, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz called for evolving an institutional mechanism to promote dialogue and interfaith harmony among people belonging to different faiths. He said Islam promotes peace, harmony and compassion and allows people to practice their faith freely. "Islam abhors terrorism in any form and believes in tolerance and understanding," he said.

The prime minister dispelled misperceptions about Islam and urged Muslims across the world to focus their energies in presenting the religion in its true form. "The Muslims should take the step and promote dialogue with people belonging to different faiths," he said, calling for the effective use of media in this regard.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/01/22/top18.htm

PM arrives in Washington today

By Our Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Jan 21: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz arrives in Washington on Sunday for a series of meetings with the Bush administration after a turbulent week at home in which a US missile killed 18 in an attempt to take out Al Qaeda‘s No. 2 leader.

Mr Aziz is expected to meet President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and also deliver an address on the future of US-Pakistan relations at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington.

Although relations between the two governments have been good since Pakistan joined the US-led war on terrorism, Washington’s hunt for Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders in the tribal areas has created political troubles for Islamabad.

Mr Aziz’s meeting with President Bush on Tuesday would give the two leaders a chance to talk about what the United States can do to help Pakistan become a better democracy, said Mr Dillon.

The visit will be a step forward in the growing and maturing relationship between the United States and Pakistan, he said.

“The United States must lay out what is best for us in terms of aid in war on terrorism, but must also show an interest in what is best for Pakistan, too.”

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http://www.dawn.com/2006/01/22/ebr5.htm


PM urges US businessmen to invest in Pakistan

NEW YORK, Jan 21: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has wooed the US investors to inject their money into value-addition in agriculture, textiles, engineering and IT sectors for healthier returns.

The prime minister urged the US entrepreneurs on Friday to invest in these sectors, as the government believed that value-addition was the key to boosting country’s exports and helped it earn precious foreign exchange.

Mr Aziz was speaking at an investors’ conference organized by J.P. Morgan and was attended by a large number of investors interested in injecting money into different sectors in Pakistan.

The prime minister also responded to various questions after a presentation on “Pakistan’s emerging economy” held at the Roosevelt Hotel.

He said the government was pursuing the broadest reform agenda ever done anywhere in the world and added that history would bear witness to this fact. He acknowledged that the country had to face numerous problems while implementing its revolutionary reforms but added that these had now started paying dividend.

He pointed out that the government was taking all decisions in national interest only and the results speak about it clearly. Mr Aziz pointed at the high growth rate that rose to 8.4 per cent and said it was only made possible because of the broad range of reforms dealing with the social sector, judiciary, police and political sectors in the past six years.

“We cannot sit still and have to keep moving to leverage our full potential,” he said.

Mr Aziz said Pakistan was at the crossroads of Central Asia, the Middle East and the Gulf and offered numerous growth opportunities. He referred to the state-owned telecommunication sector that once was a monopoly and a special course of action was charted to achieve the goals. He said PTCL was privatized, deregulated and the results were evident with the tele-density shooting up. He said from mere one million subscribers, the mobile phone users had gone up to 20 million.

US IT FIRMS: Meanwhile, many US IT companies have expressed their interest in investing in Pakistan.

The desire to this effect was expressed at a meeting of chief executive officers of US IT outsourcing companies with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz here on Friday. Investment and Privatization Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and Export Promotion Bureau Chairman Tariq Ikram also attended the meeting.

The prime minister said Pakistan was committed to encouraging the business of information technology in the country. “We are conscious that the cost of doing business has to be reduced if we want to be competitive.”

Mr Aziz pointed out that the government would fully encourage the foreign companies to come and invest in Pakistan. The prime minister says that the telecommunication sector is much better today than in the past and the tariff on equipment required for software development has been reduced and that the IT industry is now free in Pakistan.

“We want to open ourselves for outsourcing and development of software.” He described Pakistan as a robust and growing economy. He informed the CEOs that Pakistan with a population of 152 million was a big market and asked them to look at Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Hafeez said that the privatization process in the country was transparent and added that foreign investors would be provided a level-playing field and all necessary facilities.

The EPB chairman spoke about the growing improvements in country’s economy.—APP

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http://www.dawn.com/2006/01/25/top2.htm

Strategic ties will be strengthened: Bush

By Anwar Iqbal

WASHINGTON, Jan 24: Announcing his intention to visit Pakistan during his South Asian tour in early March, US President George W. Bush said on Tuesday that his country had a strategic relationship with Pakistan and he wanted to see this relationship further strengthened.

In a joint press appearance with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz at the White House, Mr Bush also noted Pakistan’s cooperation in the war against terror.

“I want to thank the prime minister, the president and the people of Pakistan for working with the US in the war against terror,” he said.

Mr Bush, whose plan to visit India in early March has been widely reported, confirmed that he would also go to Pakistan during this tour. “I am looking forward to visit your country. I shall be travelling to India and Pakistan in early March,” he said.

Responding to the announcement, Prime Minister Aziz said: “The president, the cabinet and the people of Pakistan are looking forward to your visit. It’s an important visit for building relations further between our two countries.”

Referring to US assistance for the earthquake victims, Mr Bush once again emphasized the importance of America’s ties with Pakistan, describing it as “a vital friendship.”

He said that US taxpayers, the military and the private sector had all helped raise funds for the people of Pakistan who were confronted by “a terrible tragedy.”

This help was necessary because “the people of Pakistan are our friends,” he added.

Both Mr Bush and Mr Aziz avoided any reference to the Jan 13 US missile attack on a village in the Bajaur tribal region. Later, when Mr Aziz reappeared before the media after his lunch with Mr Bush he was asked if he had discussed the Bajaur incident with the US president. “We discussed all issues related to relations between the two countries,” said the prime minister and abruptly ended the briefing.

The attack has caused widespread protests in Pakistan, creating new tensions for the US-Pakistan alliance against terror which began after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in the US.

During the joint briefing both Mr Bush and Mr Aziz refused to take questions and instead made separate brief statements, stressing the need for continuing their cooperation in the war against terror.

In the separate briefing after the lunch Mr Aziz said he also had discussed the possibility of seeking US cooperation for producing nuclear energy for civilian use but this issue was not mentioned in the joint briefing.

During Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the White House on Jan 13, the US signed a deal offering to help India develop its civilian nuclear facilities. In his earlier statement, Prime Minister Aziz had said that Pakistan is seeking a similar arrangement as well.

Mr Aziz said that in his almost two-hour long meeting and luncheon with Mr Bush he discussed “a host of issues” with the US president, including defence cooperation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

He said he thanked President Bush for the US assistance to the earthquake victims. “The helicopters, hospitals, engineers and the financial assistance from the corporate sector have touched the hearts and minds of the people of Pakistan,” said the prime minister.

“We appreciate that and it will help restore the lives of the victims. This sense of caring and sharing build better relations between peoples and countries,” he added.

He said the US and Pakistan had multi-faceted relations and his discussions with President Bush had covered the economy, trade and investment as well.

Pakistan, he said, was a growing economy and the US should invest there.

Referring to Pakistan’s efforts to improve relations with India and other neighbouring states, he said: “We strive for peace in the region where we face a lot of challenges.”

He said Pakistan wants peaceful resolution of all disputes including that of Kashmir. Mr Aziz said he also discussed Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan in his meeting with Mr Bush.

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