Pakistan urges Western powers not to violate its sovereignty

UN: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, in his speech to the UN General Assembly’s general debate here on Thursday, urged Western powers not to violate his country’s sovereignty in fighting against terrorism.

“Violating our nation’s sovereignty is not helpful in eliminating the terrorist menace. Indeed, this could have the opposite effect,” Zardari said.

“Just as we will not let Pakistan’s territory to be used by terrorists for attacks against our people and our neighbors, we cannot allow our territory and our sovereignty to be violated by our friends,” he said.

“Attacks within Pakistan that violate our sovereignty actually serve to empower the forces against which we fight together,” he stressed.

Zardari’s remarks came after the Pakistani military said troops had fired warning shots at two NATO helicopters which were “well within Pakistani territory.” The U.S. military has called the incident an “unfortunate misunderstanding.”

UNITED NATIONS, Friday, Xinhua