BR staff reporter adds: In response to a question about Pak-US relations, Basit said that Islamabad was looking forward to normalisation of its relations with Washington after completion of the parliamentary process. But he made it clear that Pakistan sovereignty is not open to negotiations.
"We remain more than 100 percent committed to efforts against terrorism and militancy but Pakistan's sovereignty is not open to negotiation," he said in response to a question about US President Obama's statement that Pakistan's parliamentary review must respect US security concerns. He said the parliamentary process would complete soon and lay foundation for a strong and a long-term predictable relationship with the US. About Pakistan-US high level interactions at Seoul and Dushanbe, he said that Pakistan attached importance to these interactions.
He said interactions including the visits of US military generals and their talks in Rawalpindi with their Pakistani counterparts took place in the context that channels of communication between the two countries were open. When asked whether such interactions were undermining the parliamentary process, the spokesman rejected the impression, saying that nobody in the government was undermining the parliamentary review.
"The parliament is currently seized with the matter and I assure you that no one in the government will do anything that pre-empts this process," he said, adding that the process would not only strengthen democracy in the country but also help lay a solid foundation for a transparent and predictable Pakistan-US relationship.
To another query about reports of the Secretary Hillary Clinton's visit to Pakistan next month, the spokesman said there were no dates yet for her visit.
About resumption of Nato supply route and drone strike, Basit said that the government would follow the parliamentary guidelines on the issues. "I think we should better wait as to what policy directions the parliament finally gives us," he added. Regarding Nato summit taking place in Chicago in May, he said no decision had been taken yet about Pakistan's participation in the moot. He, however, said Islamabad considered Kabul as the most important capital and would continue to contribute to realise the dream of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.
About Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani's meeting with his Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh in Seoul, he said that the two leaders in their brief interaction reiterated the firm commitment to the resolution of all outstanding issues through a dialogue process.
The spokesman expressed the confidence that the meeting would help push forward the negotiation process to make it result-oriented and meaningful. He further said the second round of Pak-India dialogue process was under way and talks on Wullar Barrage had just taken place in New Delhi at the Secretary level. He said that Islamabad expected that talks with New Delhi on other issues would also take place in the near future, enabling the Indian Minister for External Affairs to visit Pakistan to review the second round sometime in July this year. "But this is all tentative and at present, we are working with the Indian side to finalise schedule of meetings," he added.
When asked about the construction of water reservoirs by India on River Jhelum, the spokesman said under the Indus Water Basin Treaty, India was allowed to build dams on the run of the river. He said Pakistan had no objection on those water projects "that sync with the treaty."
To a question about reports that Islamabad has accepted the New Delhi offer for supply of 5,000MW electricity to Pakistan, the spokesman said that there was nothing concrete on that score yet. He declined to comment on reported revelations by Indian Army Chief about the deficiencies in India's defence, saying that he had no comment to make on the internal matters of New Delhi.
Responding to a question about the tension surrounding North Korea's nuclear programme, he said Pakistan supported the six-party talks on North Korean nuclear programme and expressed the hope that all sides would refrain from taking any action undermining the dialogue process. To a question, he declined to comment on the media report that around 150-200 French were getting training in North Waziristan, saying: "Please don't pay attention to such far-fetched media reports".