Qureshi and Miliband discuss bilateral relations

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his British counterpart David Miliband on 4 May 2009 discussed bilateral issues, common dangers to the two countries and further reinforcing economic ties.

 

The meeting between the Ministers lasted well over an hour in a Central London Hotel where the Pakistani Foreign Minister is staying overnight on his way to US to join President Asif Ali Zardari for his maiden meeting with President Barack Obama.

 

Qureshi was assisted at the meeting by Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan, Deputy High Commissioner Asif Durrani and other senior officials while former UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Sir Lyall Grant accompanied Miliband.

 

Briefing the media following their talks, the British Foreign Secretary said:” We had very good discussion that reflected the depth, breadth and intensity of the UK-Pakistan relationships. Our Prime Minister was in Pakistan last week and we look forward to President Zardari’s visit to UK on his way back from USA. There are important talks in Washington this week and Foreign Minister was able to brief me on some of the ideas developed for the talks.”

 

Miliband further said during the discussion, he stressed on British commitment to take forward the UK-Pakistan dialogue as both countries have so much in common through shared interests and values as well the importance of relationship between European Union and Pakistan.

 

He said a summit on June 17 in Brussels will be a major opportunity to enhance the ties between the EU and Islamabad.

 

Qureshi spoke of the candid discussion on the bilateral relationship and the strategic dialogue that UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown touched upon during his visit to Pakistan last month.

 

 “There are some very good ideas in that strategy that we want to develop it further,” he said.

 

The Pakistan Foreign Minister noted that it will set into motion a long standing partnership between the two countries.

 

He said the talks also covered Afghanistan and the implementation of the UK strategy in that region as well as visit of President  Zardari to the USA and the next month’s  EU summit.

 

The Pakistani Foreign Minister said his country hope to get substantive results from the summit and it was banking on the UK support to greater market access for Pakistani produce, leading to a Free Trade Agreement.

 

Qureshi extended an invitation to Miliband to visit his home town of Multan and see how the common man feels about democracy, militancy, development and Talibanisation.

 

Responding to a question on the detained 10 Pakistani students awaiting deportation after terror charges were dropped against them, Qureshi said there is a better way to handle such sensitive cases while Miliband replied by saying that the issue is being dealt according to the British judicial system.

 

Miliband said terrorism was a common threat to the two countries and more so to Pakistan which has suffered a large number of casualties both of civilians and military personal.

 

He said both the countries has shared commitment to take on the scourge of terrorism and are working closely to achieve the objective.

 

Regarding the drone attacks on Pakistan, the British Foreign Secretary said it was a matter between Pakistan and USA to work together.

 

Qureshi said the recent meeting in Tokyo was a clear reflection of the West’s support to Pakistan’s fight against extremism and terrorism and the political backing and the economic package announced by the donor conference and setting into motion of the Friends of Pakistan process is a clear contribution the West has made which realise that the south Asian country is valuable friend and a ally in the war on terror.

 

Miliband said there are ten thousand students studying in the UK and have been welcomed here. The million strong Pakistan community based in Britain is also playing a big role in the contributing to the prosperity and development of the UK, he added.

 

 

London

5 May 2009