Pakistan says Manmohan Singh's remark 'unacceptable'

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Jun 17 (PTI) Apparently irked by Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh's blunt message to President Asif Ali
Zardari in front of media that Pakistan should not allow its
soil for terrorism against India, Islamabad Wednesday said his
remarks were "unacceptable".

In a statement made in the Senate or Upper House of
Parliament, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Malik Amad
Khan said Singh's comments made during his meeting with
Zardari in Russia Tuesday were unacceptable to Islamabad.

During Tuesday's meeting on the sidelines of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Russia, Singh told
Zardari: "I am extremely happy to meet you, but my mandate is
limited to telling you that the territory of Pakistan must not
be allowed to be used for terrorism against India."

Khan said Pakistan had asked the Indian government not
to resort to "aggressive media statements" and clear the air
by talking directly with Pakistan instead of using the media.
"I would still ask India to come to talks as engagements would
be fruitful rather than estrangements," he said.

Pakistan will never allow any force to use its soil
for terrorist activities directed against any country,he said.

"During the past six months, Indian officials uttered
some inappropriate statements about their certain reservations
which were totally against diplomatic norms," Khan said.

Khan said that Zardari too raised Pakistan's concerns
regarding "Indian interference" in the country's internal
affairs and forcefully presented Islamabad's point of view on
issues of concerns with New Delhi during the meeting.

Opposition PML-Q Senator Jamal Leghari raised a point
of order on Singh's remark and said it should be condemned by
the house.

However, Khan told reporters that Pakistan was hopeful
there would be follow up ministerial-level meetings between
the two countries in the wake of the meeting between Zardari
and Singh.

There were possibilities for resumption of bilateral
talks after the Indian elections and the meeting between the
two leaders was a step forward, he said. PTI RHL
DEP
NNNN



The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this
message are intended for the exclusive
use of the addressee(s) and may contain proprietary, confidential or privileged
information. If you are not the intended
recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please
notify the sender immediately and destroy
all copies of this message and any attachments contained in it.