ISLAMABAD – Pakistan said Thursday it will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with US to formalize Nato supplies to Afghanistan in early September.
Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Khan told the weekly press briefing that Islamabad and Washington had completed the technical discussions and were now engaged in the process of internal analysis of the details relating to the MoU.
He said Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar would visit Washington early September to discuss host of issues including signing of the MoU on Nato supplies through Pakistan.
The spokesman said that Pakistan did not give importance to Panetta’s remarks during his recent visit to India rather it accepted apology given by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
On the issue of drone attacks, the spokesman said Pakistan had a clear position on these attacks as these were counter-productive and violation of country’s integrity and sovereignty. He said, both the countries have difference of opinion on drone attacks and negotiations are going on and both the countries are willing to resolve it amicably through negotiations.
Answering a question on media reports that senior army officials would visit Washington before the foreign minister’s tour to US, Moazzam suggested to ask this question from ISPR.
When his attention was drawn towards state protocol being extended to the outgoing US Ambassador Cameron Munter, the spokesman said Munter was a very good friend of Pakistan and during his tenure he tried to understand Pakistan’s concerns and conveyed them to US in good manner.
On the fate of 32 Pakistani prisoners at Bagram Jail, the spokesman said Pakistan had raised the issue with both Kabul and Washington and would continue discussing it with them on every forum.
The spokesman said Pakistan would continue its support to Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation and peace process, adding that Tokyo conference would be fruitful for Afghanistan. “Pakistan wants to be a facilitator in the reconciliation process to achieve the objectives of peace and security in the region.”
He said Afghan Taliban prisoners in Pakistani jails were not a simple issue and Pakistan would discuss it on every appropriate level and the three countries were working on it.
On visa agreement between Indian and Pakistan, he hoped it would soon be signed, adding that foreign ministers of the two countries would meet in late September to carry forward the strategic dialogue process.
Agencies add: “Pakistan did not close the Ground Lines of Communication for Nato supplies to Afghanistan for financial benefit, therefore, these lines have been restored without any financial benefit,” said Mozzam.
The decision of suspension of Nato supply was a decision based on principles aimed at protecting national sovereignty and integrity, he added. He said the Defence Committee of the Cabinet decided to open the supply routes for Nato so that Pakistan could play an active role in the regional peace, progress and prosperity.
He said in the trilateral meeting between the foreign secretaries of Pakistan, US and Afghanistan, two commissions were constituted to ease the movement of Afghan leaders for negotiations regarding reconciliation process.
He said strategic dialogue between Pakistan and US had also been revived and dates are being finalised for the meeting of representatives of the two countries in near future.
The spokesman said any diplomat had the duty to improve the relations of his country with the country of his duty, adding that Munter did play very important and constructive role.
“We appreciate his role and he remained very active to improve Pak-US relations throughout his tenure,” said the spokesman.