Powell's position vindicates our stand: Pak.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 17. Pakistan today appreciated what it called a ``reaffirmation'' by the United States Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, that Kashmir is central to the relations between India and Pakistan and that the issue should be resolved in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Responding to queries on Gen. Powell's visit to Islamabad and New Delhi, the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Mr. Riaz Mohammad Khan, told presspersons that Gen. Powell's observations were all that could be expected of any ``fair-minded person.''

Pakistan was very pleased with his visit and believed that his position on Kashmir vindicated its viewpoint. Referring to Gen. Powell's comment that as a friend of India and Pakistan, the U.S. could play an important role, Mr. Khan said ``we believe the U.S. and the United Nations can play such a role in addressing issues that pose a threat to international peace and security.''

Pakistan expected India to be responsive to the views of the international community on Kashmir. The United Nations Security Council through a resolution in 1998 had described Kashmir as the root cause of tensions in South Asia. ``It is a fact that Kashmir is at the heart of the tragedy in South Asia and tensions between India and Pakistan. So it is only logical that it is resolved. Pakistan is ready to co-operate if the U.S. or the U.N. is prepared to play a role. Islamabad is ready for resolution of the dispute through bilateral mechanism,'' Mr. Khan said.

Pakistan did not agree with the proposition of the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, that raking up the Kashmir issue amounted to ``re-inventing the two-nation theory''. ``Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of partition... There are the U.N. resolutions.''

Mr. Khan said the international legitimacy on Kashmir flowed out of the resolutions and even as per the interpretation of the Shimla Agreement by Islamabad, it has the right to invoke the U.N. resolution. ``Unless the resolutions are implemented, they cannot be wished away''.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : 'U.S. not for independent Kashmir'
Next     : Quality of anthrax baffles experts