Fencing offer not for entire border: Kasuri
Bureau Report
LAHORE—Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri Sunday said that there
was no proposal to erect a fence on the entire Pak-Afghan border.
“A fence has been proposed only at a limited scale in areas where the
border was crossed. The fence would be manned even if erected on a
limited scale. There was already extensive military presence on the
borders. As many as 80,000 Pakistan army personnel and 55,000 to 60
thousand US and European Union soldiers were deployed there”, the
minister said while talking to reporters here.
About the recognition of Israel, he said it was linked to the
establishment of an independent viable state with Jerusalem as its
capital. He denied reports that an ambassador had been nominated for
Israel. Ambassadors, he added, were nominated only where diplomatic
relations existed.The president and the prime minister had stated it
repeatedly that the recognition was linked to the establishment of the
independent Palestinian state. Kasuri said that no decision had been
taken in respect of recognition of Israel so far. Answering questions
about the controversy over the Iranian nuclear programme, he said that
Pakistan was opposed to the resolution of dispute through violent means.
Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasur Sunday said Iran is an Islamic
country and any decision against Iran would not be endorsed that will
harm peace in South Asia.
Talking to journalists and nazims at the election office of PML-supported
candidates, Rana Imtiaz Ahmed and Malik Rashid Ahmed here, the Foreign
Minister said no decision has been taken to recognise Israel. The
decision to this effect would only be taken after the independence of
Palestine.
He ruled out opening of embassy in Israel. He said Pakistan wants peace
and friendly relations with its neighbouring countries. Regarding Afghan
refugees, the foreign minister said 3.1 million Afghan refugees are
staying in Pakistan which is a burden on Pakistan’s economy.
He said people are reaping fruits of local government system given by
the President Pervez Musharraf some four years ago. The Foreign Minister
observed that people’s participation in local government system
indicates that this system is running according to the aspiration of
people.
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