Premier hints at peacekeepers for Lebanon

ISTANBUL—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Monday that Pakistan will continue to play its role for ensuring peace in Lebanon.
"Pakistan will help the international community to havepeace in Lebanon," he said while talking to newsmen before hisdeparture for Beirut on the last leg of his four-nation visit.
Prime Minister Aziz earlier visited Norway and London beforelanding in Istanbul on a two-day visit to Turkey.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan had already condemned the Israeli aggression in Lebanon which has resulted in the loss of lives of innocent people and colossal damage to the property.
The Prime Minister also emphasised that losses in Lebanon as a result of the Israeli attacks, should be compensated.
Answering a question on sending Pakistani troops to Lebanon as part of the UN peacekeeping force, Prime Minister Aziz said that Pakistan has not taken any decision in this regard and he would discuss the issue with his Lebanese counterpart.
He said Pakistan immediately sent relief goods to help its brethren who suffered from the Israeli aggression and added that it would continue to support them in future as well.
To a question on the visit of President Mehmet Ali Talat of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to Pakistan, he said Pakistan has always called for a just resolution of the Cyprus issue.
President Mehmet Ali Talat is to arrive in Pakistan on Monday for a two-day visit.
Prime Minister Aziz said Pakistan has always supported Turkish point of view on the Cyprus issue and would continue to extend its moral and diplomatic support to Turkey.—Agencies