Siachin, Sir Creek ripe for solution: President
By Makhdoom Babar

ISLAMABAD—Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store Thursday called on President Pervez Musharraf and discussed entire gamut of bilateral relations. The President expressed satisfaction at the status of bilateral ties between the two countries and the President emphasized the importance and value attached by Pakistan to its cooperation with Norway.
The Norwegian FM expressed his country’s interest in the peaceful settlement of conflicts in the region. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional issues of mutual concern. Foreign Minister Store specially referred to the Pakistani Diaspora and its contribution to the economic and cultural richness of Norway. He underscored that “Pakistan is more than traveling to a country far away” and that Norway wanted to support Pakistan in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The President highlighted the salient aspects of Pakistan’s short term, mid term and long term strategies for energy security and its inextricable linkage with the sustainable development of economy. Poverty reduction and eradication of unemployment which were at the heart of fight against extremism and terrorism, depended heavily on the good performance of the economy. The President also briefed about the National Commission for Human development’s (NCHD)’s role and its outreach programs providing education and health facilities in almost all the districts of Pakistan. Foreign Minister Store promised to “take home this message” and elaborated on Oslo’s emphasis on environment and on developing clean technologies for exploitation and use of energy resources.
On the regional issues the President outlined Pakistan’s perception on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. He said our policy objectives in the tribal areas, central elements of combat against terrorism, Pakistan’s contribution to fight against Al-Qaeda and approach towards dealing with the threat of radicalism and extremist Talibans as well as rationale behind the four dimensional strategy adopted by Pakistan in North Waziristan. With regard to Pakistan-India relations, the President talked about the latest developments and hoped that there would be progress on Kashmir issue in the light of his proposals and the problem of Siachin and Sir Creek can be resolved expeditiously with courage.