Pak for consensus on UN reforms

As India stepped up efforts for permanent membership of UN Security Council UNSC, Pakistan has said it was opposed to expansion of the wor...

As India stepped up efforts for permanent membership of UN Security Council UNSC, Pakistan has said it was opposed to expansion of the world body8217;s top organ in permanent category and favoured evolving a consensus to bring about reforms without setting up any 8216;8216;arbitrary deadlines.8217;8217;

This was stated by President Pervez Musharraf during a meeting with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan8217;s special envoy, Ali Alatas, here.

The already existing inequities in the UNSC should not be reinforced by expanding centres of privilege in the permanent category, Musharraf told Alatas who called on him Tuesday night.

Briefing Alatas, who is also advisor to the President of Indonesia, about Pakistan8217;s position on UN reforms, Musharraf said Islamabad appreciated the efforts of Annan and supports in principle the reforms process to enable the world body respond effectively to new challenges.

But, he said, Pakistan was opposed to the expansion in the permanent membership of the Security Council.

As G-4 countries comprising India, Germany, Japan and Brazil, made strong push for expansion of the UNSC8217;s permanent member seats with veto powers, the 8216;Coffee Club8217; led by Pakistan and Italy opposed the expansion of the permanent members.

Pakistan has also dispatched a journalist Nasim Zehra to various Latin American countries to lobby against the expansion of the permanent members. Zehra set out on the mission from Washington, media reports here said.

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Musharraf, during his meeting with Alatas, said UN reforms should focus on socio-economic development, achievement of the millennium development goals and resources for development.

In the context of various concerns of developing countries, he said the international community should facilitate the return of 8216;8216;illicitly acquired assets8217;8217; and 8216;8216;proceeds of corruption8217;8217; to the affected countries. 8212;PTI

8216;Peace talks, trade can be simultaneous8217;

ISLAMABAD: Signalling Pakistan8217;s willingness to open up trade with India, President Pervez Musharraf said the two countries could 8216;8216;simultaneously8217;8217; improve economic ties while moving forward on the political front to resolve bilateral issues. 8216;8216;We have to move forward on the political front effectively for dispute resolution and also simultaneously look for developing trade and economic ties to the benefit of both countries,8217;8217; he told a delegation of FICCI led by president Onkar S Kanwar. With 8216;8216;political will and sincerity8217;8217; the two countries can overcome political issues and improve relations rapidly, he said. 8212;PTI