IDP resettlement, peace moves :

No Pakistan interference

Manjula Fernando and Riza Rawdin in Islamabad

Pakistan said yesterday it will not dictate Sri Lanka on a particular way forward with regard to its peace moves and the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) adding it has confidence in the Government and its people.

The Sri Lankan leadership and its people are the best judge and I am sure, positive and confident that they know what their interests are, Additional Foreign Secretary (Asia- Pacific) Masood Khalid said.

In a discussion with a group of visiting Sri Lankan journalists yesterday, Khalid said "we do not believe in poking our nose in others' affairs. Our relationship is based on non-interference, mutual respect and mutual trust. We talk to each other as friends."

He was responding to a question by the Daily News whether Pakistan was also in agreement with India which had been pushing for a hurried- political- solution. This is strictly within the domestic domain of Sri Lanka," he stressed.

Commenting on Sri Lanka's call on foreign Governments to arrest and repatriate known LTTE leaders in their territory, he said countries must cooperate with each other in eliminating terrorism. "Wherever a terrorist is a terrorist," he stressed.

He offered Pakistan expertise in addressing the IDP issue adding that perhaps it could undertake a particular project proposed by Sri Lanka through their South Asia desk. Pakistan earlier offered US$70,000 for IDP welfare as a goodwill gesture which he called a modest contribution.

Reflecting Pakistan's firm stand at the UN Human Rights Council in safeguarding Sri Lanka's interests recently, he added they will not hesitate to do so in the future. Asked if trade relations between the two countries would suffer with the halt of purchase of military equipment from Pakistan, he said there were many areas the two countries could continue to work on. A few days back the Army Commander announced the cancellation of a US$200 million arms deal with Pakistan and China.

He said the South Asia region is in a state of turmoil due to terrorism and they were happy that Sri Lanka had overcome this struggle.

"We fully support Sri Lanka's stability and total integrity." He said it is our principle focuses in our cordial bilateral ties.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan Foreign Ministers are due to meet during the latter part of this year where they will discuss the continuation of cooperation in the defence field.