Prime Minister Gilanai
for enhancing ties with the United
Kingdom
ISLAMABAD
: Prime Minister Syed
Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed his government’s keen desire to further
consolidate the diplomatic, political and economic ties with the
UK. In
a meeting in Islamabad
with a delegation of UK House of Commons’ Defence
Select Committee, he said that the friendly relations between the two countries
are rooted in the long historical bonds.
The delegation was headed by
chairman of the committee James Arbuthnot. Other members of the delegation
included MPs David Borrow, David Crausby, David
Harvard, Adam Holloway, Bernard Jenkin, Kevan Jones and Richard Younger-Ross.
The Prime Minister said the
deep-rooted bilateral relations represent shared values and commonality of
perceptions on many regional and global issues.
He appreciated the ongoing
cooperation between the two countries in diverse fields including areas of defence. He called for increased military training
assistance provided by UK
to Pakistan Armed Forces personnel under the Defence
Related Activities Programme (DRAP) and enhancement
of defence cooperation through deliberations of
Pakistan-UK Defence Cooperation Forum (DCF).
The Prime Minister said Pakistan views the UK as its key economic partner being
the second largest investor and third largest trading partner. While asking for
increased UK investment in Pakistan he stated that Pakistan is offering level-playing
field to both local and foreign investors and every sector of its economy is
open for investment.
The Prime Minister while referring
to numerous challenges confronted by the new democratic government expressed
the government’s strong commitment for overcoming these problems through
implementation of policies supported by the people.
He said that restoration of law
and order and economy are the main priorities of his government. The Prime
Minister said that terrorism and extremism are the global phenomena and Pakistan
being a front line state has sacrificed a lot, including the assassination of
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed.
He stressed that war against
terrorism is in Pakistan’s
own national interest as well as in the interest of the humanity at large. He
said that his government in consultation with its coalition partners has
adopted a three-pronged strategy to fight terrorism.
He said Pakistan has entered into political
dialogue with those elements who have renounced terrorism by laying down arms,
accelerating the pace of economic development in the country especially in
tribal areas and resorting to military means only if the agreements are
violated. Pakistan,
he said, would never negotiate with militants or terrorists nor allow its soil
to be used by foreigners against another country.
Talking about Afghanistan the Prime Minister said that a
strong, stable and prosperous Afghanistan
is in Pakistan’s best
interest and Pakistan
will continue to help reconstruction efforts there. He said Pakistan’s assistance to Afghanistan is focused on building
of physical infrastructure and restoration of health and education facilities.
The Prime Minister said that
Pakistan is making all out efforts to prevent cross border infiltration by
installing biometric system on entry points and setting up of 900 check posts
on the border compared to the 100 check posts on the Afghan side of the border
which, he said, need to be increased at least to Pakistan’s level. He
said fencing of the border is another option being considered by his
government.
He called for increased
coordination between Pakistan
and Afghanistan at all
levels and exchange of intelligence between Pakistan
and Afghanistan
as well as between Pakistani and NATO authorities to curb the infiltration of
undesirable elements to and from both sides.
He said the repatriation and
resettlement of about three million Afghan refugees in Afghanistan will also help reduce
illegal movements on the border. He said the international community
needs to come forward to help resettle the refugees in their homeland with honour and dignity.
The Prime Minister said there is
credible evidence that increased poppy cultivation in Afghanistan and the money thus
generated is feeding the terrorism networks.
The British MPs, while
felicitating the Prime Minister on assuming office expressed the desire to further
enhance bilateral relations in all fields.
Courtesy: APP
6 July 2008
