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Hina Rabbani Khar's Interview: 'Hostile US policy counterproductive'

Dunya News

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar says the US hostile policy towards Pakistan is counterproductive.

Pakistans young foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, elevated to the coveted post in July 2011 after the exit of an out-of-favour Shah Mahmood Qureshi, is leading the Pakistani delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year, following Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillanis decision to cancel his trip because of the devastation caused by floods in the country.Given the recent tensions and a spate of hostile statements from senior American officials against Pakistan, Ms. Khar indeed has a tough task on her shoulders to convey the Pakistani viewpoint. She, nonetheless, is trying to put up a brave front in various bilateral meetings in her bid to lobby for Pakistan and is being sought after by the media as well (thankfully it is not about her Birkin bag this time round).Despite her hectic schedule, she managed to spare time to talk one-on-one with Dunya News about the US accusations against Pakistan of aiding Haqqani network, Pakistans frustration with the US and her interaction with other foreign leaders during the UN session amongst other related issues.Question: The narrative in United States about Pakistan seems to be turning hostile. Following Admiral Mike Mullen and Secretary Defense Leon Panetta yesterday, White House has also openly accused Pakistan of having links with militant organisations. Whats your reaction to that?Answer: Look Pakistans stance has always been that we dont want to do diplomacy through public statements and media and we have been consistent with it. And we have given the same message to US during our engagements, which they have reciprocated. Despite that, if theres a tendency from them to overlook all the commitments which have been made, and to overlook the pre-requisites and the norms of a decent relationship, Pakistan would still choose to do what it thinks is in its interest. And we think that as a responsible and mature country, it is neither in our interest nor it is our policy to run our foreign policy through public statements. In our deep and intensive engagement with US, in which we have always addressed their issues and concerns. And we have repeatedly stated this that if youll continue this (aggressive) trend, then well have the right to choose or exercise, you know, our options. Because it is important for them to be able to address our concerns and it is important that the US does not seem to want to aggressively, or on purpose, want to alienate the people of Pakistan who are the ones who have sacrificed.Question: At the moment, the biggest threat to the deep engagement between Pakistan and US, which you just referred to, is Haqqani network and other terrorist organizations targeted by the Americans. It has reached a point where the US is asking Pakistan that it would take action on its own against these groups if Pakistan does not act?Answer: Well, they might be saying it but when they interact with us and say something, thats more important instead of doing it through public statements and media. We have said it quite often that terrorist organizations and terrorist elements in all their forms are not something that we want to support or that we are supporting. Any allegations that are made on the state of Pakistan are taken very very seriously, and we expect serious answers from them (US) and we are looking for these answers from them. This has been conveyed to them unequivocally. I wanted to be very clear that this has been conveyed to them in the terms that I am saying, if not worse, because we have been very mature. I think our maturity should not be taken for granted.Question: Do you think that the United States at this point is even discrediting the sacrifices given by Pakistan in the war against terror and is trying to pressurize and marginalize Pakistan unduly?Answer: I have even used the word alienation, which is stronger than marginalizing, and I hope this is not a policy decision. I have so far not been told that it is and have been told categorically that it is not a policy decision; it is not their intention etc etc. If the impression that comes through time and time again that if is almost a policy decision, and if the same policy (towards Pakistan) continues, it will not be in the interest of the US.Question: Does the Pakistan government or the Foreign Office intend to formally lodge a protest with US on such statements and direct accusations?Answer: See I have said earlier and Ill repeat that we dont do our diplomacy through public statements and media. This is our strength and not our weakness and should not be considered our weakness at all. Because we are engaging with them (US) in a mature manner, have been doing it, and want that they do the same. The messages we needed to convey to them have been conveyed in unequivocal terms.Question: Lastly, you have said that Pakistan has the right to exercise its options, if US resorts to taking more unilateral actions like the Abbottabad raid in the Pakistani territory, which it has been threatening between the lines for a while, then what kind of option does Pakistan have?Answer: Pakistan has said that very clearly that there are certain red lines which have to be respected and we have said this categorically. Your top leadership, including President and Prime Minister, conveyed this to the US team that visited Islamabad after the US raid and even the parliament raised its concern loud and clear. If the US will not take all this into account, and even decides to ignore the Pakistani parliaments resolution to take such a course of action, I would not like to engage in such a possibility right now; in line with our policy of not doing diplomacy through the media.Question: You are attending the UN session in New York at such a crucial juncture and holding several bilateral meetings on the sidelines as well, how difficult it is to lobby for Pakistan when such statements are coming from the US administration?Answers: It rather seems quite easy for me and I sometimes feel quite surprised because each country, Europeans, UK, Japan, Canadians, Bahrain, Italian and so many other foreign ministers, whom we have been meeting, all of them have said that they understand and they recognize Pakistans (problems and) sacrifices in this war. So I want to tell you that Pakistan is not isolated at this point, the entire world is standing besides Pakistan. These statements are only coming from one country (US) which are counter-productive, and if these continue, we will all be losers.Thank you very much for talking to Dunya News.Thank You.--Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News Washington Correspondent
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