ID :
14273
Wed, 07/30/2008 - 07:37
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/14273
The shortlink copeid
Pak asks US not to carry out unilateral strikes on militants
Washington, Jul 29 (PTI) Asking the US not to act unilaterally against the militants in Pakistan's tribal belt, Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the suspected American missile strike inside his country that killed a top al-Qaeda explosives expert was "certainly" a violation of itssovereignty.
Gilani, who met US President George W. Bush here Monday, also said that his government was currently in the process ofcollecting more information about the incident.
The Bush administration has been tight-lipped about the attack by a 'Predator' inside Pakistan's northern areas -- bordering Afghanistan. Both the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency have been mum about the incident; and the State Department along with the White House have flatlyrefused to comment on "reports".
Bush appeared to have gone out of his way at his White House media availability by mentioning the word "sovereignty" suggesting that Washington is mindful of this when it actsalong the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
But it is a well-known fact that American Drones armed with Hellfire missiles routinely go after targets insidePakistan in search of top al Qaeda and Taliban functionaries.
"... because I'm here, I wanted to collect more details, but I have already talked to President Bush that there should be more cooperation on intelligence side, so that when there is a credible and actionable information given to us, we will hit ourselves," Gilani told CNN making the point that if theUS goes about on its own it has more to do than just trust.
"Basically, Americans (are) a little impatient.
Therefore, in future, I think we'll have more cooperation onintelligence side and we'll do the job ourselves..." he added.
Asked if the latest attack is a violation of Pakistani sovereignty, Gilani said: "Certainly, yes, if it is proved like this, it is certainly, yes." But at the same time, Gilani said "we have bilateral relations with United States on most of the areas, in defence, in science and technology, in education, in health, in food and agriculture, and of course we want to have more cooperation on the intelligence side." Gilani said he had told Bush at their meeting that "unilaterally it (the attacks against militants inside Pakistan) should not be done." "We must have more cooperation with each other and it's our job because we are fighting the war for ourselves," hesaid.
The Pakistani leader, who is on a four-day visit to the United States, said. "...we are collecting more details about it, because there's a timing difference between Pakistan and the United States, and we are even holding the inquiry, and when we'll get more information, then I'm the position to letyou know," he said.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that he was asked to do "more" during the Oval Office meeting with the President but quickly added "nobody's satisfied like this. But at the same time we both have to do more, not only us, even the US has todo more".
But Gilani parried a query on the USD 10 billion dished out to Islamabad since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 which lawmakers have said have not been used for the waron terror but on bilateral issues with India.
"... I've taken over only three months back, and the money was given to them five years back, and I don't know what were the priorities of the then government, and of course, now they are thinking of assisting Pakistan in a big way, but I assure the people of United States and the Congress thateverything would be spent very judiciously.
"And I have, for the first time, after 1964, we have introduced even the defence budget in the Parliament," Gilanireplied.
The Pakistani leader assured the American audience that his country is doing its best in getting the al-Qaeda leaderOsama bin Laden.
"...my government, it certainly is doing its best. There are two things. One is the will. The other is ability. We have the will. But at the same times, the militants are equipped with the most sophisticated weapons in the world, andtherefore, we can't match that equipment and the training.
"Therefore, when there is US cooperation more on this defence side, we'll be able to have more capabilities of fighting," Gilani said, adding that he is looking for things beyond intelligence assistance to include "sophisticated"weapons that Islamabad does not have at this juncture.
Gilani, who met US President George W. Bush here Monday, also said that his government was currently in the process ofcollecting more information about the incident.
The Bush administration has been tight-lipped about the attack by a 'Predator' inside Pakistan's northern areas -- bordering Afghanistan. Both the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency have been mum about the incident; and the State Department along with the White House have flatlyrefused to comment on "reports".
Bush appeared to have gone out of his way at his White House media availability by mentioning the word "sovereignty" suggesting that Washington is mindful of this when it actsalong the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
But it is a well-known fact that American Drones armed with Hellfire missiles routinely go after targets insidePakistan in search of top al Qaeda and Taliban functionaries.
"... because I'm here, I wanted to collect more details, but I have already talked to President Bush that there should be more cooperation on intelligence side, so that when there is a credible and actionable information given to us, we will hit ourselves," Gilani told CNN making the point that if theUS goes about on its own it has more to do than just trust.
"Basically, Americans (are) a little impatient.
Therefore, in future, I think we'll have more cooperation onintelligence side and we'll do the job ourselves..." he added.
Asked if the latest attack is a violation of Pakistani sovereignty, Gilani said: "Certainly, yes, if it is proved like this, it is certainly, yes." But at the same time, Gilani said "we have bilateral relations with United States on most of the areas, in defence, in science and technology, in education, in health, in food and agriculture, and of course we want to have more cooperation on the intelligence side." Gilani said he had told Bush at their meeting that "unilaterally it (the attacks against militants inside Pakistan) should not be done." "We must have more cooperation with each other and it's our job because we are fighting the war for ourselves," hesaid.
The Pakistani leader, who is on a four-day visit to the United States, said. "...we are collecting more details about it, because there's a timing difference between Pakistan and the United States, and we are even holding the inquiry, and when we'll get more information, then I'm the position to letyou know," he said.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that he was asked to do "more" during the Oval Office meeting with the President but quickly added "nobody's satisfied like this. But at the same time we both have to do more, not only us, even the US has todo more".
But Gilani parried a query on the USD 10 billion dished out to Islamabad since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 which lawmakers have said have not been used for the waron terror but on bilateral issues with India.
"... I've taken over only three months back, and the money was given to them five years back, and I don't know what were the priorities of the then government, and of course, now they are thinking of assisting Pakistan in a big way, but I assure the people of United States and the Congress thateverything would be spent very judiciously.
"And I have, for the first time, after 1964, we have introduced even the defence budget in the Parliament," Gilanireplied.
The Pakistani leader assured the American audience that his country is doing its best in getting the al-Qaeda leaderOsama bin Laden.
"...my government, it certainly is doing its best. There are two things. One is the will. The other is ability. We have the will. But at the same times, the militants are equipped with the most sophisticated weapons in the world, andtherefore, we can't match that equipment and the training.
"Therefore, when there is US cooperation more on this defence side, we'll be able to have more capabilities of fighting," Gilani said, adding that he is looking for things beyond intelligence assistance to include "sophisticated"weapons that Islamabad does not have at this juncture.
