Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is visiting the Kingdom at the invitation of Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs. The soft-spoken Cambridge graduate is a senior leader of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP). He has also served as a Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs in the government of assassinated former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, from 1994 to 1996. Soon after assuming the post of foreign minister, Qureshi made it clear that he was committed to establishing peace in the region and maintaining friendly ties with India was his top priority. Qureshi headed Pakistan's delegation to Washington for the strategic dialogue on March 24, in what was seen as a “make” or “break” situation for the entire region in the year 2010. Faheem Al-Hamid caught up with Qureshi during his visit to the Kingdom. Following are excerpts from the interview: Q: What is the main objective of your visit to the Kingdom? A: I am visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the invitation of His Royal Highness and dear brother Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy very close, friendly and fraternal relations. These ties are deep-rooted in shared faith and the ethos of our people. The Saudi leadership and people are held in high esteem in Pakistan. The relations, the two countries enjoy, are time tested. Saudi Arabia has always been forthright in supporting Pakistan in its difficult times. The Kingdom has provided Pakistan with invaluable support in terms of financial assistance, budgetary support, and export credit facility. The other key underpinning of this relationship is the presence of around 1.5 million Pakistani expatriates living in Saudi Arabia. My visit will provide an opportunity to impart a new dynamism to bilateral relations between the two countries. Q: How do you see the future of bilateral political and economic ties between Riyadh and Islamabad? A: Bright and promising. We are both determined to further enhance our strategic partnership and add depth to our economic ties. We need to optimally utilize our natural economic complementary ties. Q: What issues will top your agenda during your meetings with the Saudi leaders? A: There is no fixed agenda. We shall review entire range of our bilateral relations, discuss ways and means to build a more robust and mutually beneficial partnership, especially in the fields of agriculture, finance, banking and industry. We will also exchange views on regional and global issues. Q: Do you feel that the relations between the two countries are losing the traditional warmth? A: The two countries enjoy warm and cordial relations. Only very recently, Saudi Arabia extended financial assistance of $200 million as a budgetary support and $100 million as credit line facility to import urea. And just two weeks back, Saudi Arabia had announced recruitment of 1,000 specialist doctors from Pakistan. Pakistan's exports to the Kingdom are on the rise. All these measures are strong indicators of the warm, healthy, strong and cooperative relationship between the two brotherly countries. Q: How can cooperation between the two countries prove beneficial to the cause of peace in South Asia and the Mideast? A: Islamabad and Riyadh share identical views on issues pertaining to peace and security in South Asia and the Mideast. We believe that in the prevailing global and regional environment, we need to work closely to promote peace and stability. Pakistan's strength is Saudi Arabia's strength and vice versa. Pakistan-Saudi relationship is a key factor of stability in the region. Q: What role Saudi Arabia could play to enhance the relations between India and Pakistan particularly when it comes to the question of Saudi mediation? A: We would welcome the good offices of Saudi Arabia to play a role in the normalization of relations between Pakistan and India. We also look forward to a mediatory role for Saudi Arabia because the cause of peace and security in South Asia can be advanced through friendly relations between Pakistan and India. Saudi Arabia is a brotherly Muslim country, which has its own relations with India. Therefore, the Kingdom can play an important role toward improvement of ties between New Delhi and Islamabad. Q: How do you see the future of dialogue with India, in your view what are the main hurdles in making the process of dialogue fruitful and constructive? A: We strongly believe that dialogue is the only way forward. We seek meaningful and constructive engagement with India. The major challenges in the region are the unresolved disputes particularly the Jammu & Kashmir issue and the questions of peace and security. We are confident that through dialogue and engagement, we can overcome these challenges and chart a new vision of peace, prosperity and stability in South Asia. Q: Pakistan and India both are victims of terrorism. Is it possible for the two countries to join hands for eradication of this menace or the trust deficit between the two sides is just too wide to be bridged? A: Indeed both countries are victims of terrorism. Pakistan has rendered so many sacrifices in the fight against the scourge of terrorism. Our economy and society have suffered a great deal. We have made proposals to New Delhi for eradication of the menace of terrorism. We believe that through such measures, both sides can build trust and confidence to address the challenges of terrorism. Q: In your view what is the best way for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute with India, which is undoubtedly the main reason behind the regional unrest since the 1940s? A: Pakistan seeks resolution of the Kashmir issue through peaceful means and dialogue. We believe that Kashmir is an international issue, which needs to be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions as well as the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. Q: Do you think that US is a loyal partner to Pakistan. What was the outcome of your recent visit to the United States? Why is Washington reluctant in transfering drone tecnology to Islamabad? A: Pakistan–US ties span over a period of 60 years. Despite a checkered past, we are now endeavoring to establish a stable, long-term partnership based on mutual respect and interests. We positively evaluate the latest round of the Strategic Dialogue held in Washington last week led by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. We have agreed to upgrade the level of dialogue and initialized a multiple-track sectoral engagement. On the drone technology, we have been following up this issue with Washington. There are some internal issues in the US with regards to the transfer of this technology to other countries. We will, however, continue to raise this issue and there is now a better understanding of our point of view in Washington. Q: What are the achievements so far made by Pakistan in fighting terrorism? A: Pakistan is committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations as the menace poses a serious threat to Pakistan's security. The democratically-elected government has been successful in evolving a national consensus on the fight against terrorism. A National Counter-Terrorism Authority has been set up to deal with the issue on a long-term basis. We have evolved a three-pronged strategy (3Ds) to restore peace to the NWFP and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) through political dialogue, socio-economic development and deterrence, whenever required. More than 700 Al-Qaeda operatives and affiliates including some of its top leaders like Abu Zahaydah, Ramzi Bin Al-Shibh, Khalid Shaikh Mohammad and Abu Farraj Al-Libbi have been arrested. In our counter-terrorism efforts, we have lost more than 2,000 of our security forces personnel and more than 6,000 civilians. The recent law enforcement operations in Swat and South Waziristan have met with success. The back of the terrorists has been broken. We have now entered the most crucial phase of this war, i.e. reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected areas. A major effort is under way for the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure including schools, health facilities, bridges etc. Success in this effort would go a long way towards defeating extremism and terrorism and winning the hearts and minds of people.
