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Pak. resents Putin's remarks

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Dec. 1. Islamabad has taken serious exception to the comments of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, on the possibility of Osama bin Laden's presence in Pakistan and his concerns over the security of Pakistan's nuclear assets. Coming as it does just two days before Mr. Putin's official visit to India, the development will not go unnoticed.

The Pakistan Foreign Office issued a long statement explaining that it had taken up the reported remarks of Mr. Putin at a press conference in St. Petersburg on November 22 with the Russian Foreign Office in Moscow.

The statement was issued a day after Mr. Putin's interview to The Hindu in which he raised similar concerns.

The statement said the Russian Ambassador in Islamabad was summoned to the Foreign Office and concerns over Mr. Putin's statements were conveyed.

Pakistan and Russia have not enjoyed warm relations and efforts on both sides since the emergence of Russia, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, for a better understanding have not been successful. Islamabad continues to nurse a grudge that even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, ties between India and Russia have remained strong.

The Pakistan Foreign Office not only made it known that it would take up both the issues during the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group bilateral meeting scheduled in Moscow tomorrow, but also raised several questions on the security of Russia's nuclear assets.

``Both during the exchange in Moscow and during the meeting in the Foreign Office, Pakistan had expressed its disappointment over President Putin's comment which had been made in answer to a media question. It was stressed that Pakistan was a very responsible country and no one should have any fears about our nuclear assets. They are under very tight control, and the regime for Command and Control leaves no room for any concern,'' the statement said.

It said the attention of the Russian Ambassador was drawn to the fear that Russia's own system of safeguarding its nuclear assets, fissile material and sensitive technology was a matter of serious concern to the international community.

``Russia was engaged in a multi-billion dollar programme with the United States to safeguard its assets and material, and also to subsidise scientists so that they would not be tempted to work abroad. There were reports of over 200 cases of attempted smuggling of alleged nuclear material out of Russia. Prominent Russians had expressed serious doubts about the whereabouts of its suitcase bombs. Fissile material had been used for field agricultural monitoring devices throughout the former USSR and all these devices were yet to be accounted for. Pakistan was, therefore, surprised that Russia should express any concern about Pakistan,'' it said.

On Mr. Putin's comment on Osama, the Russian Ambassador had been told that as had been stated earlier by the Pakistan Government, he was not on Pakistani soil, and the Government had no information as to where else he may be, and if he was still alive.

The statement said the Pakistan Ambassador in Moscow had been informed by the Russian Foreign Office that Mr. Putin had expressed appreciation and support for President Musharraf in his comment, and that Mr. Putin had not been critical of Pakistan.

At the meeting, the statement said, it was recalled that a Russian delegation would arrive in the middle of this month for bilateral consultations on Security Council matters.

In the second half of January 2003, a Joint Working Group on Strategies Stability would commence its first session, and that Russia had set up such a working group with only a few countries.

``The Russian side alluded to these forthcoming dialogues as evidence of Russia's desire for better and institutionalised relations with Pakistan. During the meeting in the Foreign Office, serious concern was conveyed in the Russian Foreign Ministry statement of November 25 alleging some link between terrorist acts in Indian-Occupied Kashmir, by forces trying to thwart the tendency for relaxation of tension between India and Pakistan, and alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan'', it said. It said the Pakistan Foreign Office told the Russian Ambassador that there was no basis for such allegation.

"He was told that the Russian side should also take note of the genocide, serious human rights violations, and rapes committed by the Indian occupation army. Pakistan is fulfilling all its obligations, made to the international community, in combating terrorism.''

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