Ties with Israel linked to viable Palestinian State, says Kasuri
Bureau Report

LAHORE—Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Friday reiterated that there was no possibility of recognition of Israel by Pakistan till the resolution of palestine issue as per aspiration of Palestinian people.
Talking to media persons after attending opening ceremony of Consulate of Philippines here, the Minister said that recognition of Israel is conditional to progress towards establishment of a ‘viable and independent Palestinian State.’ The opening ceremony was attended among others by Charge d’ Affairs Embassy of Philippines Her Excellency Ma.Agnes M.Cervantes, newly appointed Honorary Consul in Lahore Rizwan Fareed, members of provincial cabinet, elected representatives, traders and elite of the town.
When minister’s attention was drawn towards rumors that Pakistan was going to appoint its ambassador in Israel, the Minister condemned reports as totally misleading and unfounded. “ When we don’t have diplomatic relations with that country how can we think of appointing our ambassador there,” Kasuri stated. He said after his meeting with his Israeli counter part in Turkey, it has been clarified by government time and again that Pakistan has no intention to recognise Israel till the settlement of the Palestinian issue and the interaction was aimed at facilitating resolution of the issue.
He said, “Even President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and spokesman of foreign office have made it clear a number of times that recognition of Israel is not on the cards.” Khurshid Kasuri said there should be no doubt that recognition of Israel is linked with progress towards establishment of a viable and independent Palestinian state.
Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, to a question about reports appearing in a section of press regarding Iran-Pakistan-India Pipeline project, said, “ We have not received any negative signal from Iran.” Stating that he was doubtful about the very veracity of the reports, he said, the same are not about the IPI project rather some other projects with which Pakistan had nothing to do. Regarding Iran’s nuclear standoff, the minister said that Pakistan wants peaceful settlement of the issue and don’t want any trouble in the region. Kasuri said the region has been facing difficulties since the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union. The withdrawal of Soviet forces was followed by anarchy in Afghanistan and then there rose Taliban phenomenon. All these events badly affected Pakistan with about four million refugees coming to our country. He said, “ Even today we are facing consequences and the recent census conducted by Human Rights Commission for Refguees has revealed that 3.1 million Afghan refugees are still on Pakistani soil.”
Kasuri, to a question regarding fencing of border with Afghanistan, said , “We have already deployed 80 thousand troops on this border who are more than the collective Afghan and foreign forces deputed on the other side.” Kasuri said despite deployment of such a large number of troops Pakistan have told Kabul that we are ready to fence and man those sections of the border which they want us to fence. However, the minister said that the terrain is such that fencing of the whole border is not possible.
Earlier, briefly speaking at the opening ceremony of the Consulate, the Foreign Minister said that promotion of friendly relations with countries of South East Asia was corner stone of Pakistan’s foreign policy which is especially focused on’look towards East’ The Minister said that the Philippines is an important country with which Pakistan have historic relations and share views on important regional and international issues.
Referring to co-hoisting of inter-faith conference by Pakistan and the Philippines during recent General Assembly of the United Nations, Kasuri said it reflected commonality of views and understanding between the two countries. He hoped that opening of the consulate in Lahore would help further promote trade, cultural and social relations between Philippines and this part of the world.