LONDON:
Pakistan will give its full support to any clear effort by the Afghan government to achieve a political settlement with the Taliban but does not want to lead a peace process that would impose a solution, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said on Wednesday.
Khar said Afghans were tired of attempts by other countries to take charge of their affairs and, for the good of future bilateral ties, Pakistan should not be seen to be interfering too closely.
“We will support any (peace efforts) that are Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-driven. This is our first and last pre-requisite,” Khar said in a speech at Chatham House, an international relations think tank in London.
“But we will not lead. We cannot lead … We will only follow what our Afghan brothers and sisters decide is the course of action they will adopt,” she said.
Khar added that as long as that condition was met, Pakistan would not block any effort by any nation to assist the Afghan government in achieving a political settlement to end war in Afghanistan.
In a statement on Tuesday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai asked Pakistan “to support and facilitate our direct negotiation efforts as part of the peace process”.
“Pakistan’s support to the peace process will be crucial to its success, as well as a significant contribution to the security and stability of Afghanistan and the entire region,” Karzai said.
After a period of greater strain than usual, relations between Kabul and Islamabad have improved.
Khar said Afghans had to decide for themselves what was the best course of action to achieve peace in their country. Peace was in Pakistan’s national interest but there should be only “one centre of gravity” in the effort to attain it and that should be an Afghan-led process, she said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2012.
One can feel there is a positive change of Pakistan Foreign Policy since she is a Foreign Minister. Seems she is following the policy of ‘LIVE AND LET LIVE’ and not to interfere or peep into next house. She visited India and situation melt down considerably and since then there is no anti-Pakistan statement which used to be at any terrorist act in India. She also have had a successful visit to USSR.
Is she grooming herself as future Prime Minister or President of Pakistan? If yes then Pakistan will definitely become a BEAUTIFUL nation with too many BEAUTIFUL person.
Ms Khar! Best Wishes!! Continue your Policy of respecting each and everyone!!!
@V K Bajaj (Delhi):
Thanks for the appreciation for the PK FM but clearly you have missed a very important point from her words quoted in the article above. You definitely are not aware of the political environment of Af-Pak issues.
But yea, thanks!
Vienna,February 22,2012
Afghanistan is sovereign and may be led in years to come by a
young woman.AAfghan sovereignty is respected by the United
States and NATO.That is the reason they are willing and ready
to withdraw forces earlier the better.Dr.Karzai seeks Pakistani
help to make this withdrawal a reality. Will Ms.Hina Rabbani
Khar be able to deliver what she promises is the question.The
question is valid in the context of the weakening nature of
Pakistan´s own sovereignty.
Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India
–Kulamarva Balakrishna
@V K Bajaj (Delhi):
I agree she exudes positivity and is able to put up good image of Pakistan. Putting up her as well as Sherry Rehman on foreign relations was a good idea. I think women in general tend to be good at marketing and public relations.
All credit has to be given to president Obama for starting a peace process with the honorable Taliban government’ president bush had a no negotiating policy with the Taliban, But it all depends if the citizens of Afghanistan specially the pro- Taliban if they can benefit in a just resolution in the peace negotiation’ and not the president karzia’s agenda..
Right now Pakistan’s policy is “Wait and see, play cards at right time”
I agree, she brings a cool calm touch to the situation. One feels, she is someone one could reason with.
@Pakistan politics: Haha.. You are absolutely right.. Others are flowing with the sentiment and do not understand the realpolitik…
Foreign minister Khar said: “We will support any (peace efforts) that are Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-driven”. I agree with you totally, madam! The question is, do you have the blessing of your country’s military to translate these words into action, to stay out of Afghanistan’s internal affairs?
Nice speech which says all the right things — unfortunately the Afghans, Taliban, and American’s all know who actually controls foreign policy so this speech is largely for domestic consumption.
Nice and soothing words by the Pak FM for Karzai who may not buy it due to his past experiences with Pakistan. Nevertheless, kudos to Ms Khar for handling her job extremely well which was quite evident when she first visited India and never looked back thereafter.
finally pakistan and india having the same attitude towards afganistan
Hina Rabbani Khar has certainly proved that she is a respectable politician. She is a person who has a great presence of mind and diffuses the situation in a calm manner.
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Wonder what is keeping her from joining PTI? It would be an excellent addition to Imran Khan’s team.
@PakPunjabi:
I improve your comments as under:
Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar has certainly proved that she is a respectable and BEAUTIFUL politician. She is the person who has a great presence of BEAUTIFUL mind and diffuses the situation in a calm and BEAUTIFUL manner.
@V K Bajaj (Delhi):
I agree Ms Khar is beautiful but how diplomatic she is as a FM especially during the recent trilateral meet? Is she strong enough to make independent decision out of tune with army?
Feb 19th editorial in Daily Times:
Ms Khar and her government seem to be playing to the tune of the military establishment’s obsession with India and the inroads it has made by projecting ‘soft’ power in Afghanistan.
http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=20122\19\story19-2-2012pg3_1
Good luck to Ms. Khar