International
Pak. will welcome deployment of observers
By B. Muralidhar Reddy
ISLAMABAD, JAN. 10. The Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Aziz Ahmed Khan, has said that Pakistan would welcome the deployment of U.N. or multi-national forces or observers at the Indo-Pak. borders to verify the Indian allegations of cross-border terrorism. He reiterated Pakistan's stand for de-escalation and withdrawal of troops from both sides of the Indo-Pak. borders to peace-time locations and begin negotiations to resolve all outstanding disputes including Kashmir. Mr. Khan described the recent meetings of Pakistan's permanent representative at the U.N. with the U.N. Security Council President and other permanent members as routine.
Asked whether the permanent members of the Security Council had declined to intervene in the present Indo-Pak. standoff, he said the Pakistan representative at the U.N., Shamshad Ahmed Khan, regularly met the permanent members of the Security Council and the President to apprise them about the regional situation.
On the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell's statement that Pakistan should step up the crackdown on terrorist groups in Pakistan, he said Powell actually appreciated Pakistan's efforts to bring down the tensions between India and Pakistan.
``The coalition partners have expressed satisfaction for Pakistan's cooperation to bring down the tensions. The entire international community is calling for resolution of the situation through peaceful means. Pakistan has taken certain action. It continued to take actions. Its cooperation is appreciated'', he said.
``My impression is that things are under control and the international community appreciated Pakistan's principled stand of resolution of problem though dialogue'', he said.
Close on the heels of the Indian Government's decision to send delegations of political leaders to different world capitals to explain its standoff with Pakistan, the Musharraf Government too has taken a similar initiative.
The Pakistan Federal Minister for Communication and Railways and former head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Javed Ashraf Qazi, and the former Federal Minister and factional leader of the Pakistan Muslim League, Ejazul Haq, would embark on a visit to the Middle East and Saudi Arabia as special emissaries of Gen. Musharraf.
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