Pakistan foreign minister Kasuri meets Rice

Washington, Jul 11: Visiting Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammed Khurshid Kasuri held talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the ''whole gamut of US-Pakistan relations'' here.

Talking to reporters after the luncheon meeting yesterday, Mr Kasuri said they had discussions on ''Afghanistan, Composite Dialogue between India and Pakistan, position of Kashmir and the need to resolve the issue of Kashmir'', adding that ''there was a complete unanimity of views'' on both sides.

''During President Bush's visit to Pakistan, we formed a much broader architecture of cooperation. The bilateral ties until then was confined to cooperation in the war on terrorism, but as a result of the visit there is a wider engagement,'' he said.

Mr Kasuri pointed out that the enhanced US-Pak cooperation was reflected in the ongoing dialogues on energy, science and technology and education. He said the concerned ministers would be here soon for follow-up action.

The minister said he took the opportunity to express his government's appreciation to the Bush administration's gesture to sell F-16s and other military equipment worth five billion dollar to Islamanad, besides thanking the administration for urging the Congress to endorse 738 million dollar as yearly installment out of the three billion dollar multi-year assistance package.

According to recent media reports Pakistan has been seeking frigates and submarine technology from China and European countries to strengthen its naval defence. It has claimed that it wanted these to make its territorial waters safe for economic activities, not just for itself, but also for the world.

Pakistan has also sought the fourth Agosta submarine with the cooperation of France and it was in the final stages of negotiations.

But, State Department sources said Kasuri did not bring up any of these issues during his talks with Rice.

To a question on Afghanistan, Mr Kasuri said, ''There was a complete unanimity of views and the United States knows what Pakistan is doing.'' He also referred to Afghan foreign minister's visit to Islamabad ten days ago. Mr Kasuri said both the sides have agreed that Pakistan and Afghanistan ''should not discuss Afghanistan publicly.'' He said Pakistan has more than 80,000 troops near Pak-Afghan border and his country has suffered 600 casualties put together.

''There needs to be some understanding, in concrete terms, of what can be done. I have made certain suggestions and I have asked the Americans also to look at it, the Afghans... or Americans can make some concrete suggestions because it is in our common interest to do so and I leave it to United States now.'' When Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta came here last week for talks with top Bush administration officials, he had complained that Pakistan was not doing enough in countering terrorism, though he acknowledged weakness in his own government in curtailing the surge of Taliban attacks, especially in the southern areas of the war-ravaged country.

On civil nuclear energy, Mr Kasuri said Pakistan's position ''is very clear and very well known'' but said he did not discuss the issue with Rice.

The minister, however, explained that Pakistan has the expertise on nuclear energy, harnessed from its smaller reactors, adding that among the cheapest sources of energy available to Pakistan are hydel and wind energy and the US ''is helping us with reference to coal''.

He said a US delegation would soon be visiting Pakistan to discuss the issue of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) and its extension to tribal areas and the entire earthquake affected areas, including Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir.

UNI

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