Pakistan president says keen to boost ties with Eritrea
By Associated Press of Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb 24, 2005 (AAP) — President General Pervez Musharraf Thursday said Pakistan greatly values its relations with African countries and is committed to developing stronger ties with them. Speaking at a banquet hosted in honour of the Eritrean president, Isayas Afewerki, he said Pakistan wishes to see the establishment of a just and equitable world order. He said the two countries should expand bilateral trade to further strengthen their cordial ties.
Pakistan, he said, has been playing a leading role in the peacekeeping efforts in Africa with 90 per cent of its peacekeepers deployed in various war-torn countries of the continent. He said Pakistan wants to see lasting peace in war-affected countries of Africa. President Musharraf said Pakistani peacekeepers constitute 13 per cent of global share and the country’s record in UN peacekeeping efforts in Africa has won international praise.
“Pakistani troops have served in difficult and dangerous peacekeeping missions in Africa. The UN in general and the African leaders in particular have praised the role of our peacekeepers.” Pakistan’s technical assistance programme for Africa, he observed, is making a modest contribution in the capacity building of its African brethren. In his speech, the president also spoke of Pakistan’s leading role in the fight against terrorism and its quest for establishment of durable peace in South Asia.
Referring to the Kashmir dispute, he said, meaningful progress towards its just settlement is critical to the success of Pakistan-India composite dialogue. He thanked the East African leader for his country’s support for the just cause of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
On the strategy of enlightened moderation, he said, it offered a way forward in tackling the problem of terrorism on long-term basis. The strategy includes simultaneous resolution of festering problems like Palestine and Kashmir and reforms in the societies suffering from extremism and militancy.
The president said Pakistan looks forward to more interaction with Eritrea in the future. “The coming years will witness greater content in our bilateral cooperation, particularly in agricultural, economic, commercial and educational fields.”
The president expressed Pakistan’s support for the Algiers Agreement of 2000 on Eritrea-Ethiopia boundary dispute and expressed the hope that with political commitment and resolve Eritrea and Ethiopia will be able to settle all issues so as to divert their resources for development.
The Eritrean president thanked President Musharraf for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation during the visit. He reciprocated president’s views on strengthening bilateral ties and expressed the hope that the visit would lead to expansion of trade and economic ties between the two countries.
The Eritrean leader thanked Pakistan for its long-standing support for his country’s independence. The two countries, he said, had identical views on the United Nations reforms.