Pak. High Commissioner clarifies remarks

NEW DELHI, JUNE 6. The Pakistan High Commissioner, Mr. Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, today clarified that the interpretation of his remarks by a news agency to the effect that the Hurriyat was unlikely to have an audience with the Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, coming here for a summit meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, was `totally unwarranted'.

In a statement here, Mr. Qazi said he would not be drawn into any controversy on any issue on which there may be different points of view between the two sides.

In a discussion on the UTV-produced programme for Doordarshan `Talk Back', he had emphasised that the media should not create problems where the two sides did not anticipate any.

The PTI report had said Mr. Qazi broadly hinted that the Hurriyat was unlikely to have an audience with the visiting dignitary during his summit meeting.

``Both sides are aware of each others' priorities and sensitivities .... and by adopting a positive approach, we can avoid any problems of this kind,'' the agency quoted Mr. Qazi as telling Mr. Karan Thapar in the television programme.

``Both sides want it to be a successful visit,'' he said adding Islamabad was looking forward to ``comprehensive, meaningful, result-oriented dialogue that addressed the concerns of both countries .... and help relations move forward''.

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