Only realistic way is to keep dialogue on: Aziz

Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz expects palpable progress in talks between India and Pakistan will be made in the next 12 months on the...

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz expects palpable progress in talks between India and Pakistan will be made in the next 12 months on the issue of the gas pipeline from Iran to India through Pakistan.

In an interview conducted in Islamabad on Friday, Aziz said one should not expect any immediate breakthroughs but move the Indo-Pak process along by creating ‘‘mutual dependencies’’. The gas project is one such ‘‘mutual dependency’’ because both countries stand to gain from it and because it creates mutually beneficial vested interests.

However, he clarified that his priorities are to engage India in a dialogue process on Kashmir while simultaneously working on the gas-pipeline project so that the two countries come closer to each other. Aziz said: ‘‘The best CBM for Pakistan is to engage India in two things—dialogue on Kashmir and progress on the gas-pipeline. I really believe in it. When you create a mutual dependency, you open many other doors. Their (the Indians) views may be different than ours. But if we open up a door, which is not in the benefit of both the countries then it will not work. I am not saying the pipeline will be installed overnight, but the dialogue will start, at least. We really want to make progress on the Kashmir issue. The dialogue process should move on. And I think this is a realistic approach.’’

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He said he expected all this to happen in one year if the ongoing process continued with the same spirit. However, he did not see an immediate opening up of the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar road, because this issue entailed some ‘‘problems’’. ‘‘We are discussing all issues. But I will pick the issues of Kashmir and the gas-pipeline.’’ Asked what practical steps his government had taken to promote General Pervez Musharraf’s vision of enlightened moderation in Pakistan, he said he wanted to lead Pakistan into the 21st century as an enlightened and moderate Islamic state. ‘‘We need to project Islam in its true spirit and for this you have a role and I have a role,’’ he said. He agreed that the concept of enlightened moderation needed to be vigorously promoted. But he was long on rhetoric and short on outlining concrete and practical steps in this direction.

On foreign policy, Aziz said it should be based on ‘‘national interest’’. ‘‘And our focus is to create mutual dependencies with high priority countries. I have already discussed this approach with the foreign office.’’ On the defence front, Aziz said: ‘‘We must ensure a credible defence; we have no hostile design against anyone. Our strategic and conventional programmes are a guarantee of regional peace.’’ —Daily Times