President Zardari offers no quarter in NATO declaration

President Asif Ali Zardari made no promises in Chicago summit, rejecting intense pressure and NATO’s public call for resuming land routes  in the summit declaration.

The president in his short address to leaders from over 50 countries did not give any indication that Pakistan would resume supply line for foreign forces battling in Afghanistan.

He stated, “Pakistan believed in partnerships based on trust and respect that will secure the future of our people”. However, Zardari did address the pressing matter of the reopening of NATO supply line, saying Islamabad had asked negotiators to finalize a deal with America.

The president added that the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) had decided to direct the relevant officials to finalize negotiations for resumption of the Ground Lines of Communication (GLOC).

Calling the botched air raid a serious setback, he said that they were forced to review their engagement and cooperation with the US. In his view, the parliament spoke in favor of cooperation and partnership, adding that the government was bound by the advice of parliament.

He commented, “Our parliament has also recommended that foreign fighters and non-state actors seeking to destabilize Afghanistan and the region, if found on our soil, must be expelled. We are devising a comprehensive plan for this purpose”.

Zardari was of the opinion that they would require the support of the international community both in terms of resources and capacity building, aiming at the economic well-being of the people of the region affected by the militancy.

He expressed support of all efforts for peace and reconciliation in the war-torn Afghanistan, saying Pakistan’s fate was inter-linked with Afghanistan.

He noted, “We firmly believe that only an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue can lead to sustainable peace in Afghanistan”.

In the meantime, US president Barack Obama and his 27 military allies directed concerned officials to start planning a post-2014 mission with a focus on training, advising and assisting Afghan troops.

However, newly elected French President Francois Hollande denied backing down from his decision to pull troops out in 2012, indicating a sign of growing impatience within the coalition partners.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=22981

Posted by Faisal Farooq on May 22 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.