Speech at General Assembly: Kashmir cannot be sidelined, says PM

Says many opportunities for prosperity have been missed due to unresolved conflicts

NEW YORK:

As he reiterated his commitment to building a peaceful neighbourhood in South Asia, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told world leaders on Friday that the Kashmir issue cannot be sidelined until it was resolved in line with the wishes of the region’s people.

“We cannot draw a veil over the issue of Kashmir, until it is addressed in accordance with the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said in his speech at the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Premier Nawaz said many opportunities for prosperity in South Asia had been missed, because of unresolved conflicts in the region. “We have a choice today [to either] continue with the status quo or to seize the moment to resolve all outstanding issues and free up our shared energies for cooperation,” he added.



“To take this course of high statesmanship, we need more, not less, dialogue and diplomacy,” the prime minister said. “We need to respect each other’s rights and sensibilities. We must have relationships based on equality, mutual respect and transparency.”

Nawaz said Pakistan was disappointed at the cancellation of foreign secretary-level talks with India, adding that this was ‘another missed opportunity’. “Pakistan is convinced that we must remain engaged in the dialogue process for settling disputes and building economic and trade relations. Let us not ignore the dividends of peace,” he said.

The premier said Pakistan’s “support and advocacy of the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is a historic commitment and duty, as a party in the Kashmir dispute.” Stressing that the issue must be resolved for the betterment of the region, he said “Pakistan is ready to work for the resolution of this problem through negotiations.”

On the other hand, Prime Minister Nawaz congratulated the people of Afghanistan over the successful completion of elections and offered ‘warm felicitations and good wishes’ to the country’s new Afghan leadership.



“As always, Pakistan stands in solidarity with the fraternal Afghan people,” he said, expressing hope that the landmark developments would lead to the emergence of a stronger, more stable, and unified Afghanistan. “We also hope that the process of inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation would move forward,” he added.

The premier said Pakistan was committed to forging a deeper bilateral relationship with Afghanistan and called for greater cooperation and understanding between the two nations.

“Afghanistan should become a pivot of strategic cooperation, rather than of rivalry. In the past year and a half, we have consciously reached out to Afghanistan to address difficult issues and build on convergences. We have made headway in this effort,” he told the UN assembly.

Directing the world leaders’ attention towards the massive military operation to eliminate terrorism in Pakistan’s tribal areas, Nawaz said complementary counter-terrorism measures by Kabul on its side of the border are essential to achieving optimal results.

Premier Nawaz condemned the indiscriminate killings of civilians in Gaza and conveyed Pakistan’s sympathies for the continued plight of Palestinians. “We welcome the ceasefire between Palestine and Israel, but the next steps must be taken,” he said.

“The blockade of Gaza must be lifted, Palestinian prisoners freed and illegal settlements halted. The United Nations should facilitate a just and lasting solution of the Palestinian issue.”

He also called on all parties in Syria to renounce violence and hold dialogue to restore peace in their land.

The prime minister said the emergence of new militant entities in the Middle East illustrated that terrorism remains a global threat. The Islamic State militant movement in Iraq and Syria did not have the sanction of any religion and must be countered with unified and resolute will, he said.

“We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We are fighting terrorism planted on Pakistan’s soil. Our valiant soldiers are laying down their lives to take out terrorists and their networks,” he added.

Nawaz said it is important to counter the narrative of extremists.  “Inter-racial tensions and defamation of religions provide fertile ground for conflict. Constructive and serious dialogue among religions is essential to promote understanding, tolerance and harmony,” he told the General Assembly.

“We remain committed to the UN-led efforts to support these objectives.”

The prime minister also spoke on nuclear weapons issue, saying Pakistan will continue to support the objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and pursue a policy of nuclear restraint and credible minimum deterrence.

“Pakistan is not participating in any arms race in the region. Yet we cannot be oblivious to the emerging security scenarios and buildup of armaments. We too, have the obligation to maintain a robust and reliable deterrence.”

Premier Nawaz reiterated the need for an inter-linked mechanism for pursuing nuclear restraint, conventional equilibrium and conflict resolution. He said Pakistan ought to be a part of these export control regimes, especially the Nuclear Suppliers Group. “Pakistan also qualifies for full access to civil nuclear technology, to overcome its energy shortages and spur economic growth,” he added.

The prime minister also said that the ongoing UN reform must be comprehensive. “We support a reform of the Security Council that would reflect the interests of all member states and not the ambitions of a few,” he said.

“There should be no new permanent seats in the Council. This will be contrary to the democratic character of this world body. We want the Council to become more representative, equitable, accountable and transparent,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2014.