Qureshi denies willingness to discuss Afridi issue with US

WASHINGTON: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has denied reports that he had offered any willingness to discuss Dr Shakil Afridi with the US.

Talking to media yesterday at the Pakistan embassy here, the Foreign Minister maintained that Dr Afridi was sentenced and convicted after a due process. "We expect you to respect our legal process, just as we respect yours," he said adding that Dr Afridi was viewed differently in Pakistan. He further said that if Pakistan is pushed about it then it could bring up Dr Afia Siddiqui in return.

Concluding his trip, the foreign minister remarked that he had been successful in making the Americans realise that they cannot move ahead in achieving political settlement in Afghanistan without Pakistan's facilitation and assistance. He said he has proposed to start structured dialogue to deal with such issues. He also announced that the embassy would be helping him revive the Pakistan caucus and were willing to invite at least fifty members of Congress that could debate and advocate Pakistan's position.

Earlier, speaking at the United States Institute of Peace, a local Think Tank, Shah Mehmood Qureshi lamented that suspension of financial assistance as well as cutting off military training and not providing precision equipment was not helpful in Pakistan's effort to fight terrorism. "Disengagement is not the way forward. That's the last thing you want," he said adding "continuation, cooperation and engagement is what, perhaps, is required."

"Collectively we can achieve our shared objective," Qureshi further said, "blame game will not be productive." He admitted that there was a trust deficit between the two countries which needed to be bridged. The foreign minister said that he had come to the conclusion that bilateral relations with the United States are dependent on the improvement of the situation in Afghanistan. "My road to Washington is via Kabul," he said thus his first foreign trip was to Afghanistan before coming to the US.

Answering a question he said that he was going back with the impression that he has managed to hold the slide [in Pakistan US ties] that would be an achievement.