Pakistan against sanctions on Iran: Foreign Office
Wednesday December 27, 2006 (0152 PST)
paktribune.com
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday categorically said it would not support sanctions on Iran adding the issue be resolved through diplomatic ways.
Addressing the weekly press briefing here at the foreign office, foreign secretary, Riaz Mohammad Khan, said that Pakistan was minutely reviewing the impacts of the international sanctions on Iran over Pak-Iran diplomatic, political and mutual ties and the situation emerges in the region in the wake of the sanctions.
The foreign secretary said that Iran should be given the right to obtain civilian technology for peaceful purposes under the safeguard of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "Pakistan wants peaceful solution to Iran issue," he added.
He said that consultants would be appointed over the pricing mechanism of Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. He said that there would be no pressure on Pakistan pertaining to gas pipeline. " The project will continue to meet the legal energy requirements of the country," he added.
Riaz Mohammad Khan said that Pakistan foreign policy was smoothly going on. "Pakistan wants peace in the region and will play role in this regard," he added.
Pakistan, he said, backed peace in Afghanistan and had taken numerous steps to check cross border terrorism. "Pak army has been asked to give proposals for fencing and mining the 2400-kilometer long Pak-Afghan border to control infiltration," he said adding that the crossing points on the border would remain functional.
Pakistan has established 700 checkpoints on the border and deployed over 80000 military and paramilitary personnel. "The tripartite military commission besides information sharing is in close contact with the Afghan government," he added.
The foreign secretary said that Pakistan sensing responsibility was taking steps on its soil to check terrorism; however, Islamabad was not responsible for the internal unrest in Afghanistan. "It is the responsibility of ISAF, NATO and Afghan forces to ensure peace in Afghanistan," he added.
He said that Pakistan was closely reviewing the Afghan refugees` camps and the process of the registration was smoothly underway. "We have appealed to the international community to expedite refugees` repatriation," he added.
He said that Pakistan had extended the proposal of fencing the border to the Afghan government but Kabul did not respond positively and Pakistan was doing all this by its own. "We cannot give time to the Afghan government for implementation of the master plan extended by President Musharraf for restoration of peace in Afghanistan.
He said that a plan of social development would be implemented in the tribal areas in the parameters of political thinking. He said that United States had not talked to Pakistan to launch military operation in the tribal areas. He said that mining the border was a good step and hoped that barbed wire would be installed and mine be planted in some areas along the border.
Responding to a question he said that Pakistan stance on Kashmir was clear. He said that the Kashmiris be given the right of self-determination in line with their wishes. "Pakistan has taken steps and expressed flexibility for solution of the issue and India must give similar response," he added.
He said that Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee would be visiting Pakistan in January to formally invite the Pakistani leadership to attend the SAARC summit conference. He said that date of the Indian Prime Minister visit to Pakistan had yet not been fixed.
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