Pakistan seeks to remove US concerns over Swat peace deal: FM
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Feb 22, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi vowed Sunday that during his trip to Washington he would seek to remove the concerns of the United States over the introduction of Islamic laws and setting up of Islamic courts.
The foreign minister will visit Washington on February 23-26 for meetings with his counterpart Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, US Special Representative Richard Holbrooke and Co-Chair of the Policy Review Panel Bruce Riedel, the Foreign Ministry said.
He will also meet National Security Advisor General (retd.) James Jones and other senior members of the Obama Administration, a ministry statement added.
The foreign minister will be heading an inter-agency delegation which has been constituted to hold discussions with the Obama Administration on its policy review aimed at formulating fresh approaches to the problems and challenges facing the region.
"Pakistan will try to remove the concerns of the United States and other countries," Qureshi told reporters in Islamabad.
The US, NATO, Britain and several other nations had expressed serious concern over the agreement between the government and banned group 'Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat Muhammadi' for the introduction of Islamic laws.
The Foreign Office has rejected concerns from Western nations as 'speculative'.
Qureshi said that talks with the US administration will be of different nature than the past.
"As the US administration will have policy review on war on terror, we will put to them our point of view. We will also look into their approach," the foreign minister said.
He said that Pakistan would take next step with regard to investigations into the Mumbai incident in the light of Indian response to the questions raised by the country.
"Pakistan had formulated thirty questions and it is awaiting Indian reply to them."
He said that by sharing the outcome of its investigations with India and members of the world community, Pakistan has demonstrated its sincerity and seriousness to reach to the bottom of the tragedy.
To a question the foreign minister said he would not attend the forthcoming meeting of the South Asian Association for the Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Ministerial conference in Colombo as the dates clash with his visit to the United States.
He, however, said Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Malik Amad and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashmir would represent Pakistan at the SAARC moot.
Responding to another question he said that it has been decided in principle to open Pakistan's mission in Iraq.
**2322
End News / IRNA / News Code 365503
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
