Pakistan must help IAEA to get civil nuke energy: Belgian FM
By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht Wednesday called for an early solution of the lingering Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan to ensure security and stability in South Asia. “We would certainly encourage Pakistan and India to continue talks and come to an early solution of the dispute of decades,” he told reporters at a press conference.
The Belgian Foreign Minister said “we would give the same message to India when the (Belgian) Prime Minister and myself go to New Delhi on Thursday and Friday next”. “So we will certainly encourage them to continue talks and come to practical arrangements and to make progress, as it is very important for stability in the region”.
Belgian Foreign Minister said, “it would greatly enhance stability in the region if the relations between India and Pakistan are completely normalized”. He further said that for stability in the region it was very important that Pakistan and India, which are two major players in South Asia, have good understanding of each other.
To a question about Pakistan’s demand to have civil nuclear technology, the Belgian Minister said his country has a clear stance on this subject, which requires the countries desirous of getting civil nuclear technology to follow the guidelines of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The Belgian Foreign Minister termed his meetings with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and Advisor to Prime Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs as positive and productive.
The Belgian Foreign Minister said during his meeting with Prime Minister Aziz the discussion covered happenings in the region, relations between Pakistan and India and the situation in Afghanistan. He said during his meeting with Foreign Minister Kasuri, the two sides discussed bilateral relations, possibility of debt-swap for social sector and the judicial cooperation. The Belgian Minister said his meeting with Advisor to PM on Finance and Economic Affairs, Salman Shah the discussion focussed on the technical aspects of debt- swap by Belgium, trade and economic cooperation as well as the cooperation in higher education.
To a question, he said, the agreement on judicial cooperation as proposed by Belgium will help the two countries to sort out legal issues such as dual nationalities through information sharing.
Asked about the cooperation in higher education, the Minister said, we have agreed to organize a round table involving HEC, Pakistan and representatives of concerned universities and state governments which could discuss the modalities of the PhD program.
Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and Belgium Wednesday held fruitful and productive discussion covering whole range of bilateral relations, regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern. Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri and his Belgian counterpart Karel De Gucht addressing a joint press conference following the meeting said Pakistan and Belgium enjoy friendly and cooperative relations, based on shared values.