Pakistan wants to have good relations with the United States based on mutual respect and clearly defined parameters, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Monday.
“I think that is doable. I think that it won’t take long,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Pakistan wants to rebuild its ties with the US despite the ongoing retaliation over deadly NATO airstrikes on its troops in Mohmand Agency,” he said. Gilani said new ties being negotiated with the US would ensure that the two countries “respected each other’s red lines” regarding sovereignty and rules of engagement along the border. While he gave few details, he made it clear he thought this was both desirable and possible. Gilani said the country remained committed to working with Afghanistan to bring insurgent leaders – many of whom were believed to be on Pakistani soil – into talks with the government and allow the US to begin withdrawing its troops as it was committed to doing.
“I think we have evolved some mechanisms, and we are ready to cooperate,” he said, referring to meetings with Afghanistan’s military and intelligence chiefs on a framework for talks. “We are committed (to reconciliation), despite that we are not attending” the conference on Afghanistan, he said. Pakistan refused pleas by Afghan and US leaders to attend the Bonn conference. Gilani said he did not regret skipping the meeting, saying “since the soil of Afghanistan was used against Pakistan in the NATO raids, there was a tremendous protest in my country and people were putting pressure that we not attend”. About energy shortages in the country, the prime minister said Pakistan should also be provided with civil nuclear technology like India and there should not be any discrimination against Pakistan.
“We are a country, where there is energy shortage, we have been talking with the US and there have been dozens of meetings… and they said the US would be assisting us in energy sector,” he said, adding, “We need a civil-nuclear energy deal with the US.” He mentioned the civil nuclear deal between the US and India, adding that Pakistan was not against the deal, “but at the same time we want that there should not be any discrimination”.
Khar meeting: Meanwhile, the prime minister met Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar who called on him and discussed the Bonn conference. Gilani said the world must respect Pakistan’s sovereignty, security and integrity as no compromise could be made on it. The two also discussed the statements of world leaders, including Hillary Clinton, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Gilani said Pakistan would do everything to safeguard its security and sovereignty.
In redefining contacts with US or any other country please remember that you will not receive the respect that you wish from the world unless you start to respect your own people first.
Give respect to the poor of the poorest and deprived of the most deprived in Pakistan, see what their needs are and how best can you meet them.
It does not matter how expensively you dress up but it does matter how you accord respect to your own people.
Get to the station before the train leaves…
I hope so.
I dont think so as long as Pakistan is blessed with these hypocrite leaders. we can only hope for a credible govt to come in power, the likes of (Imran Khan) and only then we can see that happening.
Ya Glani and Zardari u should make a personal relation with them but not for pakistan by sacrifying the blood of our young army… curse on all of u… hey one more message by diplomatic way or by political way u have to save pakistan…. we do not need such pakistan…. we are not hypocrate… we are all brave nation and we choose to die better to adopt such BS ways….
but it just to say PM is living in a haven of foolisher…..
paki ur very honourless
Curse on every pakistani including me… if we vote or elect government like this anymore… if by chance or by fraudulent such government came into position we have to strike or i have to protest till my death… promise Insh’Allah
nah…
may be he want to spent 8 million dollars in usa shopping centre.
@liaquat Ali: u r very right dude.
Shame on PM. U have no honor and dignity. Shame on u.
What is mutual respect between sheep and wolf,only eating the sheep slowly and expecting no resistance from the victim
I agree with the statement of PM Syed Yousaf Raza GIllani that we want relations with US based on clearly defined parameters and mutual respect. Moreover, US should be told that the US treats payments of CSF to Pakistan as charity. Therefore, from now onwards US should pay this amount in ADVANCE to Pakistan, without any bills or audit etc., like the way it always pays to Israel for their budgetary support.
US wants to pay per militant body-bag. No advance, cash-n-carry…
itx nt era in which lion n sheep drink from the same river,,what makes him to think so,?
that, lion and sheep drinks the same water and sails in the same boat…
this reminds me of one of the incidents in 3 or 4 years ago. when Israel attacked Lebanon just because they took 2 prisoners from Israeli army. Its not easy to gain respect. He should learn to fight for the right of his people. He should have grown bones
our new terms of engagements with US must be in writing and first be got approved from Parliament.
So one day after the conference he’s back on track. Hint hint
May be he does not want to miss the boat…
Any fresh start must begin with us (Pakistan) getting up off our knees. Only when we stand tall and look the other guy in the eye will they respect us.
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