Pakistan-Israel Contact: Kasuri briefs President, PM on Shalom Meeting 
By Aziz Malik - Pakistan Times Federal Bureau Chief

RAWALPINDI: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri briefed President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz about his meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom at a high level meeting here on Saturday.

President of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) Chaudary Shujaat Hussain and senior officials of the foreign ministry also participated in the meeting.

Credible sources say that the foreign minister informed that during his meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister all issues including Palestine were discussed.

Pakistan made it clear on Tel Aviv that if Israel accepts the basic right of the Palestinians and moves forward for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state then not only Pakistan but the entire Muslim Ummah would consider this step as positive.

No change in Policy on Israel

President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have said that there is no change in Pakistan’s position on Israel, but it wants to play a positive role for the resolution of the Palestinian dispute based on justice and equality.

Pakistan is today in a position to play this role in view of its growing stature in the international community and in the Ummah.

They said this during a briefing by Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri about his talks with the Israeli Foreign Minister in Istanbul on Wednesday. PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was also present on the occasion.

General Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan will not recognize Israel until the establishment of an independent Palestine State. He said Pakistan took leaders of the Islamic countries in the Middle East into confidence before the meeting.

He said the process of engaging with other faiths is in line with the teachings of Islam and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). He said the Holy Prophet (PBUH) kept the channels of negotiations open with other religions. He said Islam is a religion of peace and it has lived in peace and harmony with other faiths for centuries and can do so in the future as well.

The Prime Minister said that the meeting of Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri with the Israeli Foreign Minister was in no way recognition of Israel and any decision in this regard would be taken in the supreme national interest after due consultations.

The Foreign Minister informed the meeting that his talks with his Israeli counterpart were held in a cordial atmosphere. He told the Israeli Foreign Minister that Pakistan’s gesture is a demonstration that the Islamic world will respond positively if Israel is ready to accept the imperatives of peace by respecting the fundamental rights of the Palestinians to live in freedom and peace in their own homeland.

He emphasized that Pakistan would like to see that the process started with the withdrawal from Gaza is continued in the West Bank also.

FO on Summit

Meanwhile, Foreign Office Saturday clarified that there is no meeting scheduled between President General Pervez Musharraf and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during the forthcoming session of Untied Nations being held in New York this month.

Spokesman of Foreign Office Muhammad Naeem Khan commenting on the news about any meeting between President Musharraf and Ariel Sharon, said there is no such meeting in the schedule of President Musharraf during his visit to New York.

The Spokesman said President Musharraf would address American Jewish Congress in New York during this visit adding that it is part of Pakistan’s efforts to promote interfaith harmony among various religions.

The Spokesman, however, said Pakistan would send a diplomatic delegation to Palestine which will visit Gaza besides other areas under the control of Palestinian Authority.

Reiterating Pakistan’s principled stand on the recognition of Israel, the Spokesman said there is absolutely no decision to recognise Israel or start trade with it, following the meeting between the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Israel as it is only to promote the cause of Palestine and to play active role in resolving the issue.

Naeem Khan said that meeting with Israeli prime minister is not in President’s schedule of the upcoming US visit but he would address an inter-faith conference alongside other leaders from different faiths. The moot being organized by a Jewish body.

The purpose of the conference is to promote harmony among different religions.

Khan said that Pakistan would send its diplomatic delegation to Palestine to meet with Palestinian leaders and visit Palestinian territory including Gaza.

Pakistan is firm in its stance of non-recognition of Israel and thus there is no chance of establishment of trade links with Israel, the spokesman said.

Peace for Palestinians

And In an interview to BBC Radio, Naeem Khan said that Pakistan's engagement with Israel is aimed at promoting the Palestinian cause.

The Spokesman said when Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Pakistan in May last he held detailed discussions with President Musharraf in this regard.

The Palestinian President was of the opinion that Pakistan being an important Muslim country should play its role in moving the Middle East peace process forward, he said.

When asked did Pakistan consult Palestinian Authority before the meeting of Foreign Minister Kasuri with his Israeli counterpart the Spokesman said, President Musharraf talked to Mahmoud Abbas and King Abdullah and they termed the decision a positive step and welcomed it.●