PM seeks
better EU market access
ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Thursday said Pakistan and UK have
multifaceted relations and expressed the desire to further strengthen
these ties.
Talking to William Hague, Shadow Foreign Secretary of the Conservative
Party of UK who called on him here the Prime Minister said Pakistan and
UK have special relations covering political, diplomatic, economic,
defence, security, social and cultural and educational fields and
Pakistan desires to further strengthen this relationship.
Expansion of bilateral relations especially the issue of better market
access for Pakistani products in the markets of European Union
countries, regional and international issues came under discussion.
Giving a brief account of the regional situation, the Prime Minister
said, Pakistan is engaged in a dialogue process with India for the
resolution of all outstanding issues including the core issue of Jammu
and Kashmir.
The Prime Minister said sustainable peace in South Asia would be
possible only after the resolution of Kashmir issue in line with the
wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir. Shaukat Aziz said
substantial progress has been made on the confidence building measures
and now the two countries need to move from conflict management to
conflict resolution.
He said President General Pervez Musharraf’s proposals for self
governance and demilitarization in Kashmir can form the basis for a
meaningful dialogue to arrive at a just settlement of Kashmir dispute
acceptable to all sides i.e. Pakistan, India and the people of Kashmir.
About Afghanistan, the Prime Minister said Pakistan wants to see peace,
stability and development in Afghanistan and added that peace, security
and normalization in Afghanistan is as much in Pakistan’s interest as it
is in the interest of the people of Afghanistan.
The Prime Minister said Iran is Pakistan’s important neighbour and the
two countries enjoy good relations. He said Pakistan is against nuclear
proliferation but recognizes Iran’s right to use nuclear technology for
peaceful purposes under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
safeguards. Pakistan is against the use of force against Iran and the
issue should be resolved through diplomatic means, the Prime Minister
added.
Talking of the terrorism issue the Prime Minister said Pakistan abhors
terrorism and alongwith international community, fighting against it.
However, the world also needs to address the root causes of terrorism,
which stem from a feeling of deprivation, lack of dispute resolution and
sense of marginalization of the affected communities, he added.
The Prime Minister said the erroneous linking of Islam with terrorism
should be discouraged. “Islam is a religion of peace and propagates
tolerance, interfaith harmony and compassion” said the Prime Minister.
He said the world needs to work harder to create interfaith, inter
civilization and inter cultural harmony among people belonging to
different faiths to make the world a harmonious and secure place to
live.—Agencies |
