Monday, Aug 12, 2013
Islamabad:
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has stressed the need for Pakistan and India to resolve the Kashmir issue, in an interview to UN-based Pakistani correspondents on the eve of his visit to Islamabad.
The official Pakistani news agency APP in a report circulated Monday quoted the secretary general as saying his good offices were available if both sides agree to his mediation on the long-standing issue.
The UN chief is due to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday on a two-day visit.
“While I am saddened by the loss of lives in the course of all this (Kashmir) conflict, I am relatively, reasonably encouraged by the recent move by both sides to engage in dialogue, to resolve their source of conflict through dialogue — that I will strongly welcome and support,” the secretary-general said.
My offer of good office remains available. If both sides think this is useful and both sides agree, then I’ll be ready to offer my good offices,” Ban said when asked whether he could help leaders of India and Pakistan resolve the decades-old dispute, which is on the agenda of the UN Security Council.
India has always opposed any third party involvement, insisting that the two countries could deal with the matter bilaterally.
In the interview, the secretary general also urged the operating countries or any group operating armed drones to strictly adhere to the relevant provisions of international laws regulating UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).
“The UN really and strongly urges that all these UAVs should be strictly regulated and controlled under international laws, including international humanitarian laws,” he said in reply to a question about US drone attacks on Pakistani territory.
Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, said he looked forward to discussing with the newly-elected Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, a number of important issues, including Afghanistan from where the United States-led forces are set to withdraw in 2014.
“We really hope to have closer and stronger cooperation, and the role of Pakistan in promoting peace and stability in neighbouring country — Afghanistan,” he said. “
“There should be a strong regional cooperation. This is why I am visiting Pakistan. It is one of our priority agendas, which I will be discussing with Prime Minister Sharif and President Zardari.”
Ban, who is to visit several countries during his tour starting with Pakistan, said he would also exchange ideas on how Pakistan could accelerate the achievement of the Millenium Development Goals — in education, poverty eradication and gender equality.
Responding to a question about rampant terrorism in Pakistan, he said terrorism is something which the whole of the international community must work together to curb.
“Pakistan alone, or any other country alone, may not (be able to) fight against terrorism alone; that is why the UN General Assembly conducted a global counter terrorism strategy in December 2006, by consensus. We have this Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Forces (CTIF).
“We have established UN Counter-Terrorism Centres. As you might have read the statement by the Saudi King presenting $100 million — that’s a very generous support. This is a global effort,” the secretary general said.
By Mohsin Ali Correspondent
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
