Indian Missile Tests will Not Damage Peace: Pakistan
Pakistan Times Foreign Desk

ROME (Italy): Pakistan said Tuesday that his country's nuclear program is strictly defensive and that future missile tests would not affect the peace process with India.

Last week, India and Pakistan agreed to notify each other before missile tests, following their first talks in years about the disputed region of Kashmir.

Speaking in Rome after meeting with Italian counterpart Franco Frattini, Foreign Minister Kursheed Kasuri said Tuesday that the timing of missile tests by Pakistan was determined by 'scientific and technical reasons.'

'Our nuclear and missile program is purely of a defensive nature,' he said. 'We are not in a race with India.'

Reform of the UN Security Council

Yet another report says that Italy and Pakistan agreed Tuesday to coordinate efforts on the reform of the UN Security Council.

Both the Foreign Ministers agreed that there was an urgent need for the reform of the UN Security Council and that the reform should meet with the support of the overwhelming majority of the UN membership.

The Objective Role

They felt that the UN had to have greater democracy, transparency, efficiency and effectiveness. They agreed against the creation of more centers of privilege and decided to remain in close coordination with each other on the issue of vital importance to both countries as well as to the overwhelming majority of the UN membership.

Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Khan, who is paying an official visit to Italy at the invitation of the Italian Foreign Minister, held talks with Foreign Minister Franco Frattini at Villa Madama.

Topics

They discussed bilateral relations and issues of regional and international concern. Foreign Minister Frattini expressed gratitude of the Italian Government on the courageous leadership that Pakistan and President Musharraf were providing in the war against terrorism. He acknowledged that Pakistan's role was vital to this effect.

Kasuri explained that Pakistan itself has been a victim of terrorism for decades and was therefore completely committed to the war against terror.

Pakistan being the 5th largest country in the world with a population of 150 million had a vital stake in creating conditions of peace and stability to generate economic growth. He gave details of steps taken by Pakistan in war against terrorism including terrorist financing.

The Foreign Minister assured Foreign Minister Frattini that Pakistan could not compromise on the question of its sovereignty and would never allow its territory to be used by hostile foreign elements for plotting and launching terrorist attacks.

Foreign Minister Frattini said that Italy had decided to upgrade its commitments on Afghanistan after the recent NATO Summit. Foreign Minister Kasuri welcomed NATO's recent decision to expand ISAF. He however underlined that ISAF's troops must be further increased in order to ensure full security cover to the entire territory of Afghanistan. This would guarantee smooth conduct of elections, reconstruction and completion of the Bonn process.

Indo-Pakistan Ties

The two Foreign Minister discussed recent Pakistan-India dialogue. Foreign Minister Frattini congratulated both India and Pakistan for agreeing to resolve all issues including Jammu and Kashmir through a composite dialogue.

Bilateral Relations

Both countries decided to further strengthen their bilateral, economic and commercial relations. Foreign Minister Kasuri invited Italian investment to Pakistan and said that Pakistan had signed a Preferential Trade Agreement with China and recently SAFTA was signed which would lead to free trade between SAARC countries.

There was great opportunity for the Italian investors. Foreign Minister Frattini promised to help organize the conference of Italian investors. Foreign Minister thanked him and invited the Italian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan. He accepted the invitation for which dates of the visit would be worked out through diplomatic channels.

Also Tuesday, Frattini met separately with Afghan Justice Minister Abdulrahim Karimi, who thanked Italy for its support of Afghan reconstruction, including a training trip to Rome this week for 19 Afghan judges.●