ID :
38108
Tue, 12/30/2008 - 19:43
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/38108
The shortlink copeid
Pak proposes India to deactivate forward air bases
Islamabad, Dec 30 (PTI) Pakistan Monday asked India to
send "positive signals" by deactivating its forward air bases
and relocating ground troops to peace time positions, saying
it is ready to cooperate in probing Mumbai attacks and
bringing perpetrators of the crime to justice.
"If the forward airbases activated by India are
deactivated, it will be a very positive signal," Foreign
Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in a brief address on
state-run PTV.
Similarly, he proposed that ground forces which have
been deployed to forward post should be relocated to peace
time positions.
"This will be a positive signal and regional tensions
will reduce," he said, adding a "good atmosphere will be
created to take things forward."
Qureshi said there had been certain developments in
the past 48 hours that "Pakistan thinks augur well for the
situation".
One of these developments was External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee's comment that India had not given
Pakistan any ultimatum with regard to the Mumbai terror
attacks, he said.
"Neighbours can't solve problems through ultimatums.
Problems can be solved only through dialogue in a peaceful
atmosphere," Qureshi said.
Another positive development was the direct contact
over the weekend between the Directors General of Military
Operations of the two countries as this will also help reduce
tensions, he said.
Qureshi said Pakistan would cooperate fully with India
once it shared evidence and information regarding the Mumbai
attacks.
"The government of Pakistan wants to assure (India)
that when the evidence reaches us – our approach from day one
was constructive and desirous of peace and we will make all
efforts to get to the bottom of the incident and bring the
perpetrators to justice," Qureshi said.
He said India still had not shared any evidence on the
Mumbai attacks with Pakistan. "The basic reason for this is
that their investigation is yet to be completed. As soon as
their investigation is completed, they will share evidence
with us," he added.
Expressing Pakistan's desire to cooperate with India,
Qureshi said: "direct contacts and diplomatic channels must be
kept open" and the two sides should not ignore the importance
of dialogue.
"The peace process is important for both countries. We
have always wished that we could sit at the table and
understand each other's positions and take things forward," he
said.
"Pressures and coercion between neighbours don't solve
problems. They worsen matters and should be avoided. They will
benefit only those who carried out (the Mumbai attacks) to
spark tensions and put regional peace at stake."
Qureshi also said: "Geography has made us neighbours
and we must learn to live as good neighbours."
He said Pakistan was grateful to the effort launched
by China to defuse tensions with India. Beijing despatched
Deputy Foreign Minister He Yafei to Islamabad for talks with
the top Pakistani leadership, including President Asif Ali
Zardari and army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
India has blamed Pakistan-based elements, including
the banned Lashker-e-Taiba terror group, for the Mumbai
attacks that killed over 180 people.
India has asked Pakistan to crack down on these
elements but Islamabad has said it cannot push forward its own
investigation till New Delhi shares evidence and information
on the terrorist incident.
Qureshi praised China, saying Beijing had backed
Pakistan's "approach of constructive engagement" and made it
clear that conflict is not in the interest of anyone.
China had also backed Pakistan's proposals to send a
high-level delegation to India to defuse tensions and for a
joint investigation of the Mumbai incident.
The Chinese and US governments too had been in touch
with India and Pakistan to de-escalate the situation in the
region. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had spoken to
Zardari on phone over the past two days to help defuse
situation, Qureshi said.
Senior Pakistani officials too held meetings with
their US counterparts in Washington and presented the
country's view on the situation that had arisen after the
Mumbai attacks. PTI RHL
SAK
send "positive signals" by deactivating its forward air bases
and relocating ground troops to peace time positions, saying
it is ready to cooperate in probing Mumbai attacks and
bringing perpetrators of the crime to justice.
"If the forward airbases activated by India are
deactivated, it will be a very positive signal," Foreign
Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in a brief address on
state-run PTV.
Similarly, he proposed that ground forces which have
been deployed to forward post should be relocated to peace
time positions.
"This will be a positive signal and regional tensions
will reduce," he said, adding a "good atmosphere will be
created to take things forward."
Qureshi said there had been certain developments in
the past 48 hours that "Pakistan thinks augur well for the
situation".
One of these developments was External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee's comment that India had not given
Pakistan any ultimatum with regard to the Mumbai terror
attacks, he said.
"Neighbours can't solve problems through ultimatums.
Problems can be solved only through dialogue in a peaceful
atmosphere," Qureshi said.
Another positive development was the direct contact
over the weekend between the Directors General of Military
Operations of the two countries as this will also help reduce
tensions, he said.
Qureshi said Pakistan would cooperate fully with India
once it shared evidence and information regarding the Mumbai
attacks.
"The government of Pakistan wants to assure (India)
that when the evidence reaches us – our approach from day one
was constructive and desirous of peace and we will make all
efforts to get to the bottom of the incident and bring the
perpetrators to justice," Qureshi said.
He said India still had not shared any evidence on the
Mumbai attacks with Pakistan. "The basic reason for this is
that their investigation is yet to be completed. As soon as
their investigation is completed, they will share evidence
with us," he added.
Expressing Pakistan's desire to cooperate with India,
Qureshi said: "direct contacts and diplomatic channels must be
kept open" and the two sides should not ignore the importance
of dialogue.
"The peace process is important for both countries. We
have always wished that we could sit at the table and
understand each other's positions and take things forward," he
said.
"Pressures and coercion between neighbours don't solve
problems. They worsen matters and should be avoided. They will
benefit only those who carried out (the Mumbai attacks) to
spark tensions and put regional peace at stake."
Qureshi also said: "Geography has made us neighbours
and we must learn to live as good neighbours."
He said Pakistan was grateful to the effort launched
by China to defuse tensions with India. Beijing despatched
Deputy Foreign Minister He Yafei to Islamabad for talks with
the top Pakistani leadership, including President Asif Ali
Zardari and army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
India has blamed Pakistan-based elements, including
the banned Lashker-e-Taiba terror group, for the Mumbai
attacks that killed over 180 people.
India has asked Pakistan to crack down on these
elements but Islamabad has said it cannot push forward its own
investigation till New Delhi shares evidence and information
on the terrorist incident.
Qureshi praised China, saying Beijing had backed
Pakistan's "approach of constructive engagement" and made it
clear that conflict is not in the interest of anyone.
China had also backed Pakistan's proposals to send a
high-level delegation to India to defuse tensions and for a
joint investigation of the Mumbai incident.
The Chinese and US governments too had been in touch
with India and Pakistan to de-escalate the situation in the
region. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had spoken to
Zardari on phone over the past two days to help defuse
situation, Qureshi said.
Senior Pakistani officials too held meetings with
their US counterparts in Washington and presented the
country's view on the situation that had arisen after the
Mumbai attacks. PTI RHL
SAK
