Mohan, Ratan and all: happy and safe Thanksgiving.
Pakistani Commissioner-designate gets a Royal Runaround from the Queen and ROBIN COOK the British Foreign Secretary gives a short shrift to Akbar's entreaty to meet him.
Queen snubs Pak envoy
deccanchronicleonline.com
London: Pakistan's suspension from the Commonwealth and strained relations with the British foreign
office are delaying its high commissioner-designate, Professor Akbar Ahmed, from assuming office.
Prof Ahmed has not managed, so far, to get an audience with Queen Elizabeth II to present his credentials as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office here has been busy trying to chalk out the protocol procedure the present situation merits.
Prof Ahmed's attempts to set up a meeting with British foreign secretary Robin Cook have also proved
futile. Cook has been one of the most vocal critics of the military takeover in Pakistan. The situation is
delicate.
The Queen, as the head of the Commonwealth, is supposed to have endorsed Pakistan's suspension.
But bilateral diplomatic relations between the UK and Pakistan remain in place. Therefore, a foreign
office spokesperson pointed out, there is no reason why Prof. Ahmed should not be able to start work
soon as Islamabad's envoy in London.
"The new Pakistani high commissioner will be presenting his credentials very shortly. The suspension
from the Commonwealth is not connected to Britain's relations with Pakistan. Our objection is to the
genesis of the new Pakistani government, not to the Pakistani State," said the spokesperson.
The FCO cited Nigeria's case as a precedent. "Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth during
its years of military rule but they had their envoy in London. As soon as a civilian government took
office last year, the Commonwealth suspension was also revoked."
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group suspended Pakistan from the Commonwealth on
October 18 following General Musharraf's coup on October 12. The suspension was later endorsed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Durban.
"Pakistan's suspension from the Commonwealth is not a complete one. In fact, the Pakistani flag was flying even at the Durban meet but they were not allowed to participate in the meetings. |
