Shalom and Kasuri meet last week
Photo: AP
'10 years of Pakistan - Israel talks'
Pakistani foreign minister reveals that Israel and Pakistan have spent more than a decade talking secretly
Israel and Pakistan have been engaged in ten years of secret diplomacy, the Pakistani foreign minister, Khurshid Kasuri, said during a briefing in Islamabad, Pakistan. Kasuri also denied that the new contacts with Israel were a result of foreign pressure.
Warming Up
Associated Press
Foreign Minister Shalom meets Pakistani counterpart in Turkey, hails meeting as ‘historic’ and expresses hope for establishment of full diplomatic relations. Pakistani minister says Islamabad decided to ‘engage Israel’ in wake of Gaza pullout
Karusi was speaking at event in which he hosted a number of diplomats and envoys. He said that there was no planned meeting between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf, and ruled out such a meeting at the upcoming U.N. General Session, which both leaders will attend.
In official statement, Pakistan said yesterday that ties with Israel were a crucial part of the effort to bring peace in the Middle East, and to aid Palestinians.
Breakthrough
Last Thursday saw a breakthrough in Israeli – Pakistani relations when Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met with his Pakistani counterpart. At the end of the meeting, both sides expressed their commitment to increase diplomatic ties between the two countries.
However, the Pakistani president said immediately after the meeting that “Pakistan will not recognize Israel before a Palestinian state is established.” At the same time, Musharraf defended the meeting between the two foreign ministers, which came under attack by hard line Pakistani Islamists.
Shalom described the meeting as “historic,” and said it “would pave the path to peace.” The foreign minister said the occasion was a “real breakthrough,” and expressed hope that the day would be near when he could walk through the streets of Islamabad.
“This is an important meeting with the representative of such a big Muslim country,” he added.
“From now on, we won’t hold anymore secret contacts. All of our ties will now be public,” declared Shalom. “In the past, there were obstacles to the talks between us, but we managed to overcome them.”
“At the end of the day, there will be full diplomatic ties. It’s just a question of time. Embassies will also open in each other’s countries,” added the foreign minister.
