Pakistan favours Kashmir bus without passports, visas: FM
Daily Times, Pakistan

(posted by: Aijaz Ahmed, go2aijazz@...)

* Kasuri says international effort shattered AQ Khan network

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri observed on
Thursday that Pakistan was in favour of a bus service between
Muzaffarabad and Sri Nagar without passports and visas.

"I met many Kashmiri leaders in New Delhi and all of them opposed
travelling with passports and visas," he said, adding that the issue
of identification in the absence of passports and visas would be
discussed at a technical meeting between the two sides.

To a question about any change in Pakistan's Kashmir policy, Mr
Kasuri said there was no policy change, but underlined that Pakistan
wanted to seek a permanent resolution. He referred to the statement
made by President Pervez Musharraf and said that the president has
called for flexibility from both sides.

To yet another question, he strongly underlined that the Kashmir
issue must be resolved according to the aspirations of the
Kashmiris. "There cannot be a durable solution to the problem until
the Kashmiri people accept it," he added.

Mr Kasuri said collaborative international efforts have broken-up
the AQ Khan network, which is an important achievement.

"Pakistan supported the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1540
because the international nuclear black market poses a tough
challenge," said Mr Kasuri while speaking at the inauguration of a
seminar titled "Emerging Security Challenges and Opportunities".

"Collaborative efforts have resulted in the break-up of the AQ Khan
network. This is an important achievement in the advancement of our
shared non-proliferation goal," he said.

The seminar was jointly organised by the International Institute for
Strategic Studies in London and the Institute of Regional Studies in
Islamabad.

Duirng his speech, Mr Kasuri said that Pakistan has strengthened
physical controls over its nuclear assets. "We have adopted
comprehensive laws and regulations to prevent the export or
pilferage of WMD materials and technology," he said.

He added that there was an obvious need to promote a new consensus
on nuclear non-proliferation, one that reconciles nuclear legality
and nuclear reality.

"Arrangements should also be worked out whereby nuclear powers
outside the Non-Proliferation Treaty can undertake the treaty's
central obligation not to transfer nuclear weapons or sensitive
technologies in exchange for access to civilian nuclear and
technological cooperation," he added.

Discussing terrorism as a challenge to peace and security, Mr Kasuri
said the possible use by terrorists of weapons of mass destruction
has come to dominate the agendas of the United Nations, the United
States and the European Union.

He said Pakistan has made critical contributions in the global war
against terrorism and has apprehended over 600 operatives to bring
them to justice.