ISLAMABAD, Dec 23: Pakistan emphasized on Thursday that New Delhi and Islamabad must demonstrate flexibility and statesmanship to move towards dispute resolution.
Answering questions at his weekly news briefing, foreign office spokesman Masood Khan said there should be flexibility to make progress, and "to move towards solutions...I think what we need is statesmanship not rigidity".
About a recent statement by Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the Lok Sabha regarding his New York meeting with President General Pervez Musharraf during which they had talked about exploring possible options for a negotiated settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir issue and reiteration of his earlier remarks that there would be no redrawing of boundaries, the FO spokesman said it was a contradiction in terms.
"We think that when he (Indian PM) has talked about exploration of possible options and then if you say that there can't be any redrawing of maps or boundaries, this becomes an oxymoron," Mr Khan asserted. "Because what sort of options will we be exploring.
We need that political space. We should not draw redlines. We know what India's maximalist position is, we know what Pakistan's traditional position is, but these are not the fault-lines for our negotiations. We have to change the templates," he stated.
In reply to a question whether there was any demand from Pakistan for redrawing of borders, he said Pakistan and Kashmiris were not calling for redrawing of the international borders and nor were they asking for redrawing of boundaries or maps inside Kashmir.
"What we want is disposition of the entire state of Kashmir in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiris," he stressed. Pakistan and Kashmiris maintain that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory and as such Indian-held Kashmir is not part of the Indian Union.
The spokesman said that flexibility had a strategic place in the ongoing dialogue. "Flexibility is not a compromise. It is flexibility without sacrificing basic tenets of our policy on Kashmir and our policy towards India. This is an attempt to create an interface for negotiations, for engagement."
He made it clear that flexibility would be applicable only when the two sides engaged each other seriously and substantively. "It has to be matching, mutual and reciprocal," he said.
He admitted that while there had been swift movement in the area of confidence building the two countries had not been able to achieve a breakthrough on more difficult issues such as Jammu and Kashmir.
Answering a question, he said: "There are expectations here in the region, in Jammu and Kashmir and amongst all members of international community. There must be some movement for resolution of bilateral issues."
About Indian external affairs minister's recent statements regarding the peace process, Mr Masood Khan said he agreed with him that the atmosphere between Pakistan and India had improved and that there was a need to explore a settlement of the Kashmir issue that was acceptable to all parties.
When his attention was drawn to Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri's statement that the latter saw a positive change in India's Kashmir policy and asked from where the minister's optimism came, Mr Khan was evasive.
"I have not scanned the foreign minister's statement very closely" was his response. However, he maintained that several rounds of talks and meetings were a good development. Contrasting the current milieu to the 2002 atmosphere of tension and confrontation, he said it was a positive sign.
SECRETARY-LEVEL TALKS: The spokesman said that foreign secretary-level meeting next week (Dec 27-28) would be a 'very crucial round' of talks that would initiate the next stage of dialogue on all agenda items. He said the foreign secretaries would review progress and discuss the two agenda items specifically allocated to them, Jammu and Kashmir and peace and security.
The secretaries would come up with a calendar of meetings for the remaining six items which are Siachen, Wullar Barrage, Sir Creek, elimination of terrorism and narcotics, economic and commercial cooperation, and people-to-people contacts and exchange of friendly businesses.
On Pakistan's expectations from the forthcoming talks, the spokesman said: "We (both sides) should have some concrete proposals so that we explore the political space available to the two sides for making headway on Kashmir. We remain hopeful that India would respond in good measure."
Asked if there was pressure on Pakistan from the United States or any other country to resolve bilateral disputes in the next round of talks, Mr Masood Khan said: "There is interest but no pressure."
He rejected Indian defence minister's claim that an increase in the strength of F-16s would adversely affect the balance of air power between the Indian and Pakistani air forces, saying Pakistan was just trying to reinforce its defensive capability and fill the gaps.
"It would only rectify the imbalance, there is no balance there. India's acquisition programme is very ambitious and it's broad based." Referring to protests by India, he said this attitude had to undergo a change and added that Pakistan had legitimate defence requirements and it would continue to pursue them. "We know if our defensive capability is reinforced and strengthened, that will be a factor of stability in the region."
BAGLIHAR: On the Baglihar dam dispute, Mr Masood Khan stated that Pakistan had taken a decision that it would go to the World Bank. He said Pakistan had made all attempts to resolve the issue bilaterally but India had not been forthcoming.
He said although Pakistan had taken a decision to take the case to the World Bank, it was currently 'scrutinizing' the technical data of the Baglihar dam submitted by India this month.
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