Pakistan FM: Qatar's Initiatives Support US-Islamic Dialogue

Doha, May 31 (QNA) - Pakistani Foreign Minister Hana Rabbani has highlighted Qatar's initiatives to promote dialogue, underlining the 9th US-Islamic World Forum's addressed issues and in-depth discussions between both sides. In her speech Thursday at the aforesaid Forum, the Pakistani FM expressed her appreciation and respect towards the State of Qatar and HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, an Islamic leader with great achievements for his country and the Islamic world. Rabbani conveyed thanks to HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser for her leading initiatives in support of women as well as in science and education. Pakistani Foreign Minister also praised the efforts of HE Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani and HE's keenness on holding the forum every year. Qatar assumed an important role on a regional and international level by holding such forums of importance to the Islamic world, the Pakistani official said. The Forum, launched for the first time following September 11-2001 events, is a beacon of hope to reveal factors that prevented serious discussions between both the US and Islamic sides and an opportunity to activate such essential and vital talks, Rabbani remarked on the event. The Pakistani official pointed to her country's relations with the United States and said that Islamabad appreciates these relations, noting that they require national consensus through the parliament. Rabbani added that Pakistan isn't ready to lose relations with the U.S., calling for an atmosphere of partnership and friendship, and joint interest-based relations. "It is important that the U.S. accepts democracy in Pakistan and to respect people's voice. We appreciate the reassurances we received from Washington," Hana Rabbani said commenting on the Pakistani parliament's demand that the U.S. apologizes for an air raid that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in a military checkpoint at the Pakistani-Afghani borders. She called on the Pakistani parliament to see the whole picture in a realistic way, understand the American democracy, the nature of bilateral relations, Pakistan's political and economic needs, and to support any positive move from the American side. Hana Rabbani stressed the necessity that Pakistan and the U.S. work closely on counter-terrorism, and "not to fall victim to the war on terrorism." Pakistani FM Hana Rabbani elaborated on the internal state of affairs in her lands, in addition to the challenges, explaining the need to address critical issues and their intertwining complications. She also approached the democratic transformations Pakistan is now witnessing and what she described as the "era of military dictatorship" in the time of the former military governments of Zia ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf. Both former military governments of Zia ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf, had allocated the country's resources to service the regime and its centrality characterizing the behavior as highly costly for her country, she concluded. (END)