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Pakistan says no change in position on Bonn conference
Pakistan says it has no plans to reverse decision to boycott conference on Afghanistan.
No change in position vis-à-vis the Bonn conference, says Abdul Basit, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Monday it had no plans to reverse a decision to boycott a conference on the future of Afghanistan in Bonn in protest over a NATO strike, even though US President Barack Obama had expressed regret over the incident.
“There is no change in our position vis-à-vis the Bonn conference,” Abdul Basit, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman, told Reuters after Obama spoke to President Asif Ali Zardari offering condolences over the strike.
Media reports had earlier cited diplomats in Washington stating that they were expecting a low level participation from Pakistan at the conference.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had earlier voiced regret over the decision because she said Pakistan had a stake in a secure and stable Afghanistan, but aides travelling with her denied Pakistan’s absence would undermine the conference.
The Nov 26 NATO air raid, which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, has added to strains in relations with Islamabad, whose cooperation Washington views as crucial to helping to stabilize the region before most foreign combat troops leave Afghanistan in 2014.
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Reader Comments (19)
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I have been saying right from the very beginning that we should not attend the Boon conference and the decision of the Government of Pakistan is according to the aspiration of its citizens.
Let us not kneel down any more.
The day we will leave America, I am confident that terrorist’s activities in Pakistan will also come to an end.
We have already lost 40,000 people and the figure of the people who have been killed in the terrorist’s attacks due to siding with the US is more than enough to believe that it was due to US that we lost so many precious human lives.
We must try to understand one point that we can definitely live in this world without taking any military or civilian support from US or any other country.
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A very graceful decision by Pakistan at last. May the Lord give them the strength to combat bullies of the world. Hats off to Iranian government and Army for downing US drone yesterday. Pakistan may get some encouragement that the bully’s technology is not invinceable.
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Finally some strength being shown, i hope it continues and we get out of this war InshaAllah
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You want an apology, so do we!, when are you pakistanis going to wake up. Pakistan has replaced iran as the leading top supporter of terrorism in the world. Apologies, get real, have you apolgized for each and every suicide bomber to come from pakistan, Do you apogize for treating soverigne afghanistan as a piece of your property. You all complain about ray davis, get a clue, he was being robed by two thieves, and he defended him self, they died, as criminals. Fact is pakistan is the source of its own problems, and as i read here daily, most of you expect others to solve your problems for you, I warn you now, and head my words, as i speak for the majority sentimint of america, Get your act together, start making a postive contribution or face annialation, The world is tired of your mentality and our patience is wearing out, shape up or you will face more and even greater losses. Take this warning as it is, pakistan is falling apart, many nations have problems of their own true, but the majority of our problems are new and in time will be worked out, while pakistan has been on a downward slide for several decades now. It should be an equal with India, but is closer to resembleing somthing like syria. One Question I have for you, How can you be sure your nuclear weapons are secure, Because if you answer is the army and government says so, I feel really sorry for you. Odds are good, Your nuclear weapons are already in american possesion. And you would never know.Recommend
Bonn is a useless conference, don’t know why America is interested in the regional settlement even they r not done with the internal settlement. In the current situation Pakistan desperately needs Russian support, and it is very important for the survival of Pakistan, China can compromise on its investments in Pakistan.Recommend
It’s called pouting – grow up.
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Good !! you are not only responsible for creating Taleban but also installed and recognised them first !!!!
Your self importance is diminishing pretty rapidly at present on International stage anyway !!!!Recommend
@Umair:
Are you listening to Zionist Media propaganda? Open up your eyes; don’t you know who is biggest terrorist country – only Ahmade Nejad of Iran is brave enough to say it aloud. Don’t you see people protesting against the US bullying from New York to Indonesia?Recommend
@Umair:
Yawn! Go back to cave my dear friend
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Pakistan has made a big mistake. We must face the world, use every plateform available and convey our grieviences. Boycotting and hiding is not a solution. World is still hoping that Pakistan would show some responsiblity. They are tolerating this attitude, because they don’t want to loose Pakistan. Once world found out that Pakistan’s absence makes no difference, they will not invite us and that will be the end of Pakistan’s importance.. Since 9/11, Pakistan’s rulers have made all wrong decisions and each time majority of Pakistanis have supported them, but no one owns consequences of those decisions. When they are wrong on each occasion, how they could be right now.Recommend
@ Ejaz, soon the only brave man will be history and people will be writing against him. Once there were three brave men, Saddam, Qaddafi were other two.Recommend
Pakistan lets the Sword of Damocles hanging over America’s head. The U.S. wants to restore stability in Afghanistan before its troops leave the country in 2014. Without Pakistan’s blessing there will be no peace talks with the Taliban.Recommend
@Ch Allah Daad:
Dream on, Iran is not Iraq or Lybia pal. If it was like Lybia or Iraq, terrorists would have attacked her by now. Even Iran is attacked, I am sure she will return a much bigger blow to bullies; so keep your negative thoughts to yourself.
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Pakistan is doing the right thing by boycotting the conference !!! Good luck Pakistan, we Indians support you unconditionally on your position !!! Pakistan Zindabad !!!
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“Let us not kneel down any more. The day we will leave America, I am confident that terrorist’s activities in Pakistan will also come to an end.”
” don’t you know who is biggest terrorist country – only Ahmade Nejad of Iran is brave enough to say it aloud.”
Fill in the blank:
“___ is a pathetic, conniving nation too spineless to back off from petty hate-filled falsehoods that allow the corrupt elite to enrich themselves while reducing the common people to poverty.”
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@ Ejaz, the same remarks we heard, when Saddam and Qaddafi were in power. Ahmede is not even on radar. The real rulers of Iran are Mullahs. His bragging is to get some attention. Keep on enjoying.
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Pakistan needs and should have good relations with the west and in particular the USA.
And to all the US bashers, who would you prefer to rule the world? Russia, Japan, Germany, UK or perhaps china. Let the history be the judge. US may not be perfect but they’re better than anyone else to be the supreme power.
Look at Bosnia. Muslims are almost(if not already) the second biggest religion in America.
Not to forget how they’ve, as innovators changed the world in a handful of decades.
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Bonn Conference is over,but Pakistan is changing her position…….read PM’s lips!
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what did Pakistan not do for afghanistan? pakistan, from the begining, is sincere with afghanistan for its politcal stability, peace and educational development. around 1.7 million refuges are still living in pakistan, who are currently regitered by UNHCR. ADDING TO this, pakistan played very important role in wor on terror in afghnianistan and has loss 40000 individuals. what should pak do more??
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