'Durable solution to Kashmir key to SA peace'

Islamabad, Sept 3: Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan Dravid B. Collions has said that a durable solution to the Kashmir issue that has been a bone of contention between Pakistan and India for six decades, is the key to peace in South Asia.

Collions told the Voice of Kashmir website in an interview that his country's government was encouraged to see both Pakistan and India continuing their ongoing composite dialogue process, focusing on the resolution of key issues.

“We believe that resolution of these key issues is crucial to ensuring that peace and stability take root in the region," The Nation quoted the envoy, as saying.

Collions also said that his country will be monitoring the preparations for Pakistani parliamentary elections 2007 closely.

“Canada wants to support Pakistan"s efforts to ensure international best practice for the elections," Collions said, as he described Pakistan as a complex, diverse and multi-ethnic society, almost similar to Canada.

Both countries, he said possessed a broad range of shared interests, and added "there are many different messages we could share with Pakistan: on regional security and counter-terrorism; trade and investment; development cooperation; and on democratic governance."

On bilateral defence relations, the High Commissioner described it as active and focused.

“We are particularly pleased that military academic exchanges have resumed, and we look forward to welcoming the Pakistani Defence College to Canada very soon," he remarked.

To a query whether Canada is satisfied with the protection of human rights and levels of good governance in Pakistan, he said the Canada remains concerned about governance human rights issues and religious intolerance in Pakistan.

About the prospects and constraints in Pakistan-Canada trade and economic ties, he said that despite close ties due to the presence of a large Pakistani community in Canada and a shared experience in the Commonwealth, bilateral commercial relations between the two countries had been limited.

However, economic improvements in Pakistan since the late 1990"s, including greater focus on privatisation and the creation of an investor-friendly environment, had helped promoting economic growth, created greater investor confidence and strengthened Canada-Pakistan commercial relations, he added.

“The Government of Canada remains concerned about governance, human rights issues and instances of gender inequality and religious intolerance in Pakistan and continues to raise its concerns about these issues with the Government of Pakistan," he said.

ANI
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