Kerry-Lugar Bill won't harm Pakistan sovereignty: Qureshi
Updated at: 1740 PST, Friday, October 16, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Friday that Kerry-Lugar Bill would not harm the sovereignty and solidarity of Pakistan.
The bill would not entail interference in internal affairs of the country, rather it is a manifestation of the fact that Washington desires to build long-term partnership with the people of Pakistan, he said while winding up a debate in the Senate.
The minister said that he conveyed the concerns of the people of Pakistan and the two Houses of the Parliament to the US leadership, which acted within 24 hours and attached two documents with it to ally "fears about it."
"During my meeting with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton I categorically told her that we will never compromise on national interests and never allow micro-management of our country," he said emphatically.
Qureshi said during his meetings with Senators John Kerry and Richard Lugar and other top US leaders he minced no words in highlighting Pakistan's stance.
He also said that he plainly told them that Pakistan has changed now and "we are a democratic government answerable to our people. "I told them that they were used to one-window operation in Pakistan but those days are gone when they used to deal with one person, said the minister.
The minister quoted Senator Kerry and Lugar as writing in the attached documents. "We want to emphasize that the legislation does not seek to compromise on Pakistan's national security and impinge on national security or micro-manage any aspect of Pakistan's military or civilian matters".
He said that they also told him that any interpretation that does not respect the sovereignty would be against the congressional intent.
The foreign minister said that for the first time the United States has decided to support a democratic government and the bill was passed unanimously by both Houses of the Congress, which manifests that Washington wants long-term partnership with the people of the Pakistan.
Updated at: 1740 PST, Friday, October 16, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Friday that Kerry-Lugar Bill would not harm the sovereignty and solidarity of Pakistan.
The bill would not entail interference in internal affairs of the country, rather it is a manifestation of the fact that Washington desires to build long-term partnership with the people of Pakistan, he said while winding up a debate in the Senate.
The minister said that he conveyed the concerns of the people of Pakistan and the two Houses of the Parliament to the US leadership, which acted within 24 hours and attached two documents with it to ally "fears about it."
"During my meeting with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton I categorically told her that we will never compromise on national interests and never allow micro-management of our country," he said emphatically.
Qureshi said during his meetings with Senators John Kerry and Richard Lugar and other top US leaders he minced no words in highlighting Pakistan's stance.
He also said that he plainly told them that Pakistan has changed now and "we are a democratic government answerable to our people. "I told them that they were used to one-window operation in Pakistan but those days are gone when they used to deal with one person, said the minister.
The minister quoted Senator Kerry and Lugar as writing in the attached documents. "We want to emphasize that the legislation does not seek to compromise on Pakistan's national security and impinge on national security or micro-manage any aspect of Pakistan's military or civilian matters".
He said that they also told him that any interpretation that does not respect the sovereignty would be against the congressional intent.
The foreign minister said that for the first time the United States has decided to support a democratic government and the bill was passed unanimously by both Houses of the Congress, which manifests that Washington wants long-term partnership with the people of the Pakistan.
No comments:
Post a Comment