Pakistan-Israel contact a ‘sovereign states’ decision: Palestinian Ambassador
Pakistan Times National News Desk

ISLAMABAD: “The public contact between Pakistan and Israel is a “sovereign state” decision taken by our Pakistani brothers. As declared by the Prime Minister Mr. Shaukat Aziz, the contact does not represent a fundamental change in the foreign policy of Pakistan but it seeks to find a negotiated settlement to the Palestinian issue,” stated the Palestinian ambassador and the Dean of Diplomats Mr. Ahmad Abdul Razzaq El-Salman in an exclusive interview on Sunday.

El-Salman went on to say, “ Pakistan is an important Muslim country. It has its international influence. It is ideologically linked with the Palestinian cause. As the US President George W. Bush stated earlier, Pakistan can play a constructive role in resolving the Middle East issue that should lead to the vacation of the Israeli occupation from all occupied Arab territories and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.”

Answering another question on the Pakistan support to the Palestinian cause, El-Salman said ,” Pakistan has always supported the legitimate struggle of our people on all levels and in all international fora.”

Clarifying the media report on the statement of Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Information Mr. Nabil Sha’ath, El-Salman said that Sha’ath had never condemned the public contacts between Pakistan and Israel. Rather he said that Pakistan took its own decision being a sovereign state.

He also hoped that the step would lead to a just and comprehensive settlement to the Palestinian issue.

El-Salman, answering another question on the impact of contact between Pakistan and Israel on Pak-Palestinian ties, said that it would never affect the bilateral ties and that the “Palestinian National Authority is receiving in October a high-level Pakistani delegation to visit the territories of the Palestinian National Authority(PNA).

The Pakistani delegation is visiting PNA upon an invitation extended by the Palestinian President Mehmood Abbas during his visit to Pakistan last May.The delegation would see the miseries and the sufferings of the Palestinian people under the Israeli occupation.”●