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Pak warns against foreign meddling in Afghan affairs
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has cautioned the international community against outside involvement in the war-torn Afghanistan, but said it must remain engaged with its government.
“Non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, however, must be a cardinal element of this engagement.
No regional or extra-regional state should be allowed to manipulate the situation,” Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon told the Security Council during a debate on the situation in Afghanistan on Thursday.
“The long-term objectives of peace, stability and development in Afghanistan can be realised only by respecting its sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.”
He said that Pakistan had vital stakes in the viability of Afghanistan, since in the history of human conflict, no neighbour of another country had suffered more than Pakistan from the consequences of conflict and human tragedy in Afghanistan.
“In their progress we see our progress and in their woes we see our woes,” the Pakistani envoy said.
Applauding UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s latest report in many areas, the ambassador said the insurgency needed to be eliminated as a priority, without seeking to externalise the problem. In addition, political reform must address the root causes of the insurgency.
Mr Haroon extended Pakistan’s full support to President Hamid Karzai’s agenda, as articulated in his inaugural speech, in which, among other elements, the Afghan leader vowed to fight corruption.
He also supported the continuing role of the United Nations’ Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, including its plans to open provincial offices.
Pakistan was committed to further strengthening friendly ties with Afghanistan, in the spirit of the Joint Declaration signed in 2009, he said, noting that his country’s assistance package for Afghanistan was the biggest cooperation programme Islamabad had with any country and included elaborate human resource development programmes.
Afghanistan was also Pakistan’s third largest trading partner, he said, adding that the two countries also had security and intelligence cooperation.
He looked forward to the upcoming conference on international cooperation on Afghanistan in London, while reiterating his cautions over international involvement in the country.
The ambassador supported the voluntary and dignified return of over three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and stressed the need for sustained efforts at creating the necessary “pull-factors” in Afghanistan, including re-integration programmes within the development strategy, which required international support.
In general, he said, the milestone of a decade of international engagement with Afghanistan that was nearing completion called for a genuine reappraisal.
DAWN.COM | Front Page | Pak warns against foreign meddling in Afghan affairs
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has cautioned the international community against outside involvement in the war-torn Afghanistan, but said it must remain engaged with its government.
“Non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, however, must be a cardinal element of this engagement.
No regional or extra-regional state should be allowed to manipulate the situation,” Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon told the Security Council during a debate on the situation in Afghanistan on Thursday.
“The long-term objectives of peace, stability and development in Afghanistan can be realised only by respecting its sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.”
He said that Pakistan had vital stakes in the viability of Afghanistan, since in the history of human conflict, no neighbour of another country had suffered more than Pakistan from the consequences of conflict and human tragedy in Afghanistan.
“In their progress we see our progress and in their woes we see our woes,” the Pakistani envoy said.
Applauding UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s latest report in many areas, the ambassador said the insurgency needed to be eliminated as a priority, without seeking to externalise the problem. In addition, political reform must address the root causes of the insurgency.
Mr Haroon extended Pakistan’s full support to President Hamid Karzai’s agenda, as articulated in his inaugural speech, in which, among other elements, the Afghan leader vowed to fight corruption.
He also supported the continuing role of the United Nations’ Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, including its plans to open provincial offices.
Pakistan was committed to further strengthening friendly ties with Afghanistan, in the spirit of the Joint Declaration signed in 2009, he said, noting that his country’s assistance package for Afghanistan was the biggest cooperation programme Islamabad had with any country and included elaborate human resource development programmes.
Afghanistan was also Pakistan’s third largest trading partner, he said, adding that the two countries also had security and intelligence cooperation.
He looked forward to the upcoming conference on international cooperation on Afghanistan in London, while reiterating his cautions over international involvement in the country.
The ambassador supported the voluntary and dignified return of over three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and stressed the need for sustained efforts at creating the necessary “pull-factors” in Afghanistan, including re-integration programmes within the development strategy, which required international support.
In general, he said, the milestone of a decade of international engagement with Afghanistan that was nearing completion called for a genuine reappraisal.
DAWN.COM | Front Page | Pak warns against foreign meddling in Afghan affairs