ISLAMABAD – It is “imperative” for the world to support Pakistan’s efforts to reach out to Afghanistan and India to create an environment that will usher peace, stability and development in the South Asian region, the Foreign Office said on Sunday.
In a reaction to US secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent remarks, Foreign Office spokeswoman Tehmina Janjua said, “Pakistan has reached out to both Afghanistan and India to promote an environment conducive to stability and development.” “It is imperative that the international community supports this endeavour,” she said.
Tehmina said, “It is Pakistan’s considered view that stability, peace and development in the South Asian region is not only important for Pakistan, but has global ramifications. Pakistan values its relations with the US and is cognisant of the need for greater strategic coherence, especially when a large number of NATO-ISAF troops and the international community are engaged on issues germane to Afghanistan,” she said.
Clinton had said recently that Pakistan “will have to be part of the process for reconciliation in Afghanistan to succeed. Pakistan will have to respect Afghan sovereignty and work with Afghanistan to improve regional stability”. Tehmina welcomed the US Secretary of State’s call to respect the principles of non-interference and non-intervention in Afghanistan, as well as the appointment of Marc Grossman as the new US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
She said Pakistan was a prudent nuclear nation that was responsible enough to understand its commitments to regional security needs and wanted good relations with global community, including India. She was responding to a recent statement by Indian Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon that had raised concerns over the country’s nuclear assets.
“Pakistan is a responsible nuclear weapon state with impeccable credentials and custodial controls of its strategic assets,” Tehmina said. “We are mindful of our responsibilities in the context of global peace and security and in particular in our larger Asian neighbourhood.”
