DOCUMENT No. 13

Address of the Prime Minister of Pakistan
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali
On
“Pakistan’s Policy on Peace and Security in South Asia”
March 25, 2003

Your Excellency Madam He Lull,

Distinguished Scholars,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am grateful to Madam He Lull for providing me this opportunity to speak to this distinguished gathering of Chinese scholars and political analysts on my government's policy and concerns relating to peace and security in South Asia.

            I deeply appreciate your welcome remarks. I am happy to see here members of the newly established Pakistan‑China Friendship Forum. I am sure that this Forum will serve as a vehicle for further strengthening of the close bilateral cooperation between our two countries.

Current Visit and Pakistan‑China Relations:

I consider it a special privilege that I have been the first Head of Government to China to meet the new leaders of China,

            I had extremely cordial and highly useful talks with His Excellency Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday.

            This afternoon I look forward to my meetings with His Excellency President Hu Jintao and His Excellency Wu Bangguo, Chairman of National People's Congress. I will also meet His Excellency Jiang Zemin to thank him for his personal contribution to the strengthening of relations between Pakistan and China.

            Premier Wen Jiabao reaffirmed the commitment of new leaders of China to the traditional friendly cooperation between our two countries.

            Our friendship is enduring. Over the decades, it has remained constant and unaffected by domestic changes in the international environment.

            From my talks yesterday, I have emerged with new confidence that our friendship and cooperation will continue to gain in strength with time and serve the interest of peace, stability and progress in our region.

Principles guiding our Policy:

The policy of my government in foreign relations is governed by the guiding principle set out by the founding father of Pakistan Quaid‑i‑Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. When addressing the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, he stated that: "we desire friendship with all and nurture hostility towards none". Our policy is also based on the UN Charter principles of respect for sovereign equality and peaceful settlement of disputes and the universally recognized norms of peaceful coexistence.

Root cause of tension in South Asia:

In South Asia, the principal source of tension between Pakistan and India has been the half‑century old Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which is truly a legacy of the unfortunate colonial past of the region. A just settlement of this issue will lead to normalization of relations between the two major countries of South Asia and will allow nearly one and a half billion people of this region to use their energies for economic development.

            However, for fifty years, efforts for peace have remained fruitless. India refuses to respect UN Security Council Resolutions calling for a free and fair plebiscite to determine the wishes of the 'Kashmir people. Meanwhile, India has deployed over six hundred thousand troops in Kashmir and continues to suppress the basic rights of the Kashmiris.

            In, recent years, exploiting the international sentiment against terrorism, India has vainly tried to project the Kashmir dispute as a problem of terrorism. This cannot mislead the international community. The character of the Kashmir dispute has been defined by UN Security Council resolutions and it cannot be altered because of Indian campaign to malign the Kashmiri struggle.

Current Tension and Pakistan's position:

Last year, India resorted to military pressure tactics by mobilizing nearly one million troops against Pakistan along the Line of Control in Kashmir and the international border. These moves created a highly dangerous Situation. Pakistan maintained a policy of restraint and kept insisting on the need for de‑escalation and dialogue to avoid a dangerous conflict between two nuclear capable neighbours. The policy found resonance Internationally. In particular, China supported the need for de‑escalation and dialogue.

            Eventually, India saw the futility of its massive troop mobilization. Starting last November, it began to re‑locate its troops incurring considerable expenditure. However, India continues to pursue a policy of hostility against Pakistan. It refuses a meaningful dialogue With Pakistan.

            There are interest groups who, for domestic reasons whip up communal politics and maintain hostility towards Pakistan. Such thinking is dangerous. Nonetheless, it remains our hope that India will see reason and decide to respond positively to our offer of dialogue. In today's world, there is not alternative to dialogue.

Our Concept of Peace and Security in South Asia:

The main elements of our approach to relations with India essentially include:

            First, dialogue for settlement for all outstanding disputes including Kashmir;

            Second, restraint and security balance in South Asia, we do not desire an arms race in the region, conventional or nuclear; and

            Third, cooperation for economic development of the region.

            These elements are the essence of the structure of peace and development that we wish to promote in South Asia. Let me elaborate.

My government reiterates our offer of dialogue to India. We must begin a process of talks in an effort to resolve problems. The process will pave tile way for confidence building and improvement of political environment in the region needed for the settlement of all issues.

The two countries must choose the course of restraint and reduction of tension. Pakistan was obliged to develop nuclear option in order to restore strategic balance, which was particularly disrupted by the Indian nuclear tests in 1998. Now, maintaining deterrence is essential for our security and a key element of balance in the region.

            However, it is only rational and prudent to exercise restraint and avoid arms race. For its part, Pakistan will not engage in a disastrous arms race. We will only maintain a credible level of deterrence and conventional preparedness to be able to defend ourselves and resist the tendency of domination and hegemony in the region.

            We cannot remain oblivious of the massive increases in arms expenditure by India. The Indian military ambitions reach beyond South Asia and the Indian Ocean regions.

            India is developing two separate Blue Water Navies for the Western and Eastern regions of the Indian Ocean. Its nuclear doctrine calls for tile development of a triad of air, land and sea based nuclear assets. This will entail diversion of large and precious resources of tile region, away from meeting the demand of economic development and poverty reduction.

            This is a regrettable drain on limited resources of a region, which needs to address the enormous problems of socio‑economic development. South Asia has the largest number of people, in any single region of the world, who live below the poverty line. The region faces many challenges for ensuring basic welfare of the people, especially in the education and health sectors. The countries of South Asia need cooperation to achieve these objectives.

SAARC:

This was the purpose of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which includes seven South Asian states. Unfortunately, the Organization is severely constrained by tensions between Pakistan and India. The SAARC Summit, scheduled to be field in Islamabad early this year, could not take place because of Indian non‑cooperation. The Organization remains paralyzed, despite keenness on the part of other members to meet and develop cooperation within its framework.

            SAARC Charter only allows cooperation in the non‑political areas. However, its Summits and other high‑level meetings make it possible for leaders of the member states to meet and have informal exchanges. SAARC is a ready instrument that can help in improving the environment and reducing tension. Of course, political will is needed to move in that direction.

Global and Regional Context:

When focusing, on South Asia, we need to look at the global context and the neighbouring regions.

            We live in a world which is a mix of dangerous trends and promising opportunities.

            We deplore the military action against Iraq. Along with China, we made strenuous efforts for a peaceful solution of the problem. All avenues must have been explored since the use of force is envisaged in the UN Charter only under extreme situations. It was unfortunate that a consensus between the permanent members of the Security Council could not be reached and the efforts of non-permanent members of the Council, Including Pakistan, could not bridge this divide.

            We believe that military action should not prolong. Priority must be given to avert a humanitarian crisis in Iraq. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq must be preserved.

Most importantly, the Security Council must resume its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

The military action against Iraq Should not be considered as setting a precedent in the conduct of inter‑state relations. Pakistan believes in preserving the centrality of the United Nations. At the same time, the Security Council should uphold international legality equitably by implementing all its resolutions without selectivity.

Terrorism is another new danger on the international scene. We must reject and fight this new evil, which threatens to destabilize our societies.

On the positive side of global changes, the foremost is the great economic development of China and the transformation brought about by communications and information revolution. These changes hold great promise. China and the Far East have emerged as new economic powerhouses on the global scene. China's economy has been a factor of support and stability for the economy of the entire Asia Pacific region.

Another positive indicator is the increasing consolidation of regional arrangements for economic cooperation. The European Union and the ASEAN are two outstanding examples.

Pakistan desires to see South Asia benefiting from the positive global trends, while protecting itself from the negative developments.

Pakistan's neighbourhood:

Pakistan is not only a part of South Asia but is also strategically located at the intersection of Central Asia, West Asia and South Asia. While our efforts to build normal relations with India remain stalled by Indian refusal to address the longstanding Kashmir dispute, Pakistan enjoys good relations with all other neighbours as well as major powers with Interest In the stability of our region.

First and foremost, our friendship with China is a comer stone of our foreign relations. Our friendship is time tested and based on our common aspirations for peace and development in the region.

We also enjoy good relations with the United States despite the Lips and down in the past. The US has a strong interest in the stability of the region and regards Pakistan as a pivotal country from that perspective. It has been helpful in efforts to persuade India to reduce tension and resume dialogue with Pakistan. The US also attaches importance of cooperation with Pakistan in the international fight against terrorism.

Our relations with Russia have improved. In this regard, we are grateful for the positive role played by China in helping the two countries to develop better appreciation of each other's positions and removing misgivings lingering from the past.

With Iran and Afghanistan, we are linked with ties of common history, geography and culture. Our friendly and cordial relations are reflected in frequent high‑level exchanges. President Khatami visited Pakistan last December and President Karzai was in Islamabad two days ago. The three countries are part of the Economic Regional Cooperation (ECO).

Afghanistan is making slow but steady progress towards stability and normalcy.

There is a great need, however, for enhancing international assistance to help this war ravaged country with economic reconstruction. Pakistan has committed US$ 100 million for this purpose. More importantly, we have offered every facility to help Afghanistan revive its economy and trade. We also look forward to international participation in a Turkmenistan-Afghanistan‑Pakistan gas pipeline. This project will greatly help the region, in particular Afghanistan.

The neglect and indifference of the international community towards Afghanistan in the past ten years have been very costly to the world. Total collapse of its economy and institutions made the country vulnerable to Al-Qaeda and other terrorist networks. The fight against these networks has been difficult, but it is making progress.

The principal lesson to be learnt from the Afghanistan tragedy is that tile world cannot afford to ignore economic collapse in any region of the world. Peace depends on shared economic development and prosperity.

Our policies, particularly in South Asian and, our neighbourhood, are focused on building cooperative relations for peace and development. In this endeavour, we face many challenges at the regional and global levels.

In the uncertain environment of international relations, our friendship with China is a shining example of good neighbourly relations and an assurance for peace and stability in the region. This conviction has been reinforced during the exchange of views I had with Prime Minister Wen Jiabao yesterday.

Before concluding, I wish to express our deep appreciation for the warm and cordial hospitality extended to me and my delegation since our arrival in your great capital city, Beijing.

Text obtained from Foreign Office