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Rediff.com  » News » Comments at Senate briefing twisted out of context: Kasuri

Comments at Senate briefing twisted out of context: Kasuri

Source: PTI
November 04, 2006 22:44 IST
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Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri on Saturday denied remarks attributed to him in a section of the media that Pakistan would have turned out like Iraq and Afghanistan had it not joined the US-led war on terror.

Kasuri, in a statement issued by the Foreign Office, said he was quoted "completely out of context thus conveying a totally wrong impression regarding Pakistan's foreign policy."

"This is absolutely incorrect. Pakistan strongly follows policy suited to the advancement of its own national interests and will never compromise on this," Kasuri said.

He said interested parties leaked selective portions of his remarks violating the code of confidence to his off-record briefing.

Reports in the media here quoted Kasuri as saying at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday that Pakistan had decided to join the US-led war on terror "in the best national interest" failing which it could otherwise have faced a fate like that of Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to the media, Kasuri made the remarks during a briefing on the military attack on the madrassa allegedly linked to al Qaeda millitants in Bajaur bordering Afghanistan.

82 people were killed in the air strike on the seminary.

Kasuri said he had pointed out in his address to the meeting that Pakistan followed a completely independent foreign policy.

"This (supporting the war on terrorism) was in Pakistan's national interest and Pakistan would do so in the future also," he said, adding that there were many areas where Pakistan had adopted a different position from that of the United States.

Pakistan did not support a UN resolution authorising an attack on Iraq nor Islamabad sent troops despite reports that it was under pressure to do so, Kasuri said in the statement.

Pakistan did not vote against Iran in the IAEA in Vienna. Similarly, on the issue of the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, Pakistan has adopted at independent position, he said.

On the A Q Khan affair relating to the confession that he proliferated nuclear technology to Iran, North Korea and Libya, he said Pakistan had not allowed direct access to Khan although it had fully cooperated in the international non-proliferation efforts.

On Palestine, OIC and other issues Pakistan has a completely independent position, which was also manifested during the last Lebanon crisis. He said, therefore, he was pained by "selective leaks".

He also said the Senate Committee meet was not convened to discuss the Bajaur attack. "This is incorrect; the meeting was scheduled many weeks ago to discuss the foreign policy of Pakistan in general".

He said actual details of the Bajaur incident do not fall within the purview of the Foreign Office and its details concern other ministries and departments.

He said it is unfortunate that the out of context bits and pieces have been leaked to the media to serve political objectives.

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