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Pakistan Foreign Minister Briefs President, PM on Israel Meeting

Posted on: Saturday, 3 September 2005, 15:00 CDT

Text of report by Pakistan's PTV World television on 3 September

President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz say 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. They said Pakistan is today in a position to play this role in view of its growing stature in the international community and in the ummah [Muslim community]. They said this during a briefing by the minister for foreign affairs, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, about his talks with the Israeli foreign minister in Istanbul. PML [Pakistan Muslim League] President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was also present on the occasion.

President Musharraf said Pakistan will not recognize Israel until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. He said Pakistan took leaders of the Islamic countries in the Middle East into confidence before the meeting between Mr Kasuri and Israeli foreign minister. He said that the process of engaging with our faiths is in line with the teachings of Islam and the sunnah [tradition] of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him.

The prime minister said that the meeting of Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud 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 consultation.

The foreign minister informed the meeting that he told the Israeli foreign minister that Pakistan would like to see the process - started with the withdrawal from Gaza - continued in the West Bank.

Source: BBC Monitoring South Asia

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