German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced a DM 100 million aid for Pakistan on Sunday and pledged that his government would continue with economic assistance to Pakistan. Schroeder also supported continued bombing of Afghanistan, even during Ramazan.
The visiting dignitary also paid tributes to Pakistan for its role in the international coalition against terrorism, and recognised that this would bring Islamabad under great economic pressure. Addressing a joint press conference with President Pervez Musharraf after a few-hour stop before flying to New Delhi, Schroeder and Musharraf also made a strong appeal for the resumption of the Agra process to address the Kashmir issue.
"We have great respect for Pakistan's role in the fight against terrorism which is a balancing one for the whole region and for the international coalition. Pakistan cannot continue to play a stabilising role if we do not come in and help with its burdens," he said in his opening remarks. In this regard Germany would form a committee which would support Pakistan's case at the World Bank and the IMF. "We will go beyond this and our experts will meet. My minister for economic cooperation will hold talks in Pakistan to get an idea for a German role in humanitarian and refugee cooperation," he said.
However, like other members of the European Union, Schroeder supported the continuing military bombardment by the American troops, but emphasised that parallel to this should be a political solution for the future of Afghanistan which was very important.
To a question unlike the appeal made by Musharraf, the chancellor did not feel it necessary that the bombings should stop in Ramazan and said: "It will make finding a political answer more difficult and the humanitarian problem will also become more difficult. The military action has to be part of a comprehensive plan."
"The refugee problem has been in existence for a long time and Germany wonders how we ignored this problem so far. Even the refugee programme was in existence for quite some time now. The UN resolution 1368 not only allows the US and international coalition to fight against terrorism but is also against the Taliban," Schroeder said. To another query he said that he agreed with President Musharraf that he had reasons for keeping Pakistan's borders closed and that he had been reassured that help would reach the displaced Afghans even if they were outside Pakistan.
While speaking about the future Afghan government, both leaders stressed that this should be one in which all Afghans participate under the UN umbrella, with the chancellor adding that the opinions of Afghanistan's neighbours should be kept in mind. Musharraf made special mention of former King Zahir Shah as one of those who should be part of the future political dispensation.
On Kashmir issue, the chancellor said: "The solution lies in return to the Agra process. Progress has been made and I will take this same message to India which I have delivered here." Earlier, President Musharraf said that Pakistan wanted durable peace in South Asia but it was India's ambitions to be a regional and world power that threatened peace in the area. "Pakistan wants dialogue on Kashmir and this is central to relations with India. India's allegations of cross-border terrorism is self-serving," he said. |
