The Hindu : International : Shaukat Aziz arouses interest in Europe

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 28, 2005

International

International

Shaukat Aziz arouses interest in Europe

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS, JAN. 27. The visit of Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz, has invoked much academic interest and aroused wider political expectations in the European circles, about emergence and consolidation of "democratic process" in Pakistan in the background of its relations with its key neighbours — India and Afghanistan.

Mr. Aziz is essentially an admired figure as a competent technocrat who is suave and articulate. Hence, the European establishment has been impressed with his presentation of Pakistan's emerging perspectives and perceptions ranging from boosting Euro-Pakistani trade and investment flows to a quest for better relations with India. Mr. Aziz arrived here on Monday on a four-day visit accompanied by a large delegation of three Cabinet Ministers and important Pakistani businessmen.

Mr. Aziz is the first Pakistani Prime Minister to visit Brussels since the last visit of Nawaz Sheriff in 1998. The following year General Peeves Musharraf staged a military coup and took power. Mr. Aziz was appointed Prime Minister in 2004 by President Musharraf.

On Wednesday, Mr. Aziz met the Secretary General of NATO and later gave a talk on Pakistan's foreign policy at the Belgian Royal Institute for International Relations.

Peace process

E.U. plea on Kashmir

Mr. Aziz first met Zavier Solana, Chief of European Foreign Affairs, and discussed a wide range of issues which included Kashmir, current political and economic reforms in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran and above all confidence building measures being pursued by Islamabad with India.

The European Union aide urged Pakistan to move forward the peace process with India and to show restraint on the Kashmir issue and according to the E.U. officials, latest incidents on the Kashmir border were not discussed.

The Pakistani side told Mr. Solana that the recent demise of J.N. Dixit, Indian National Security Adviser, had "left a vacuum." Mr. Solana stated that the dialogue on "many issues" was "very, very constructive".

On their part, the leader of the Pakistani delegation stated that current dialogue with the European Union has "been extremely important" for Pakistan.

The Europeans are essentially concerned about the evolution of "democratic process" in Pakistan.

Then there is a nagging worry about the influence of Islamic fundamentalists.

Pakistan is widely rated as a "high risk" area for deployment of European and American nationals as expatriates in Pakistan. Hence, a vast majority of European companies trading with Pakistan prefer to do business without visiting Pakistan.

At best, Mr. Aziz's visit has initiated a dialogue and he had made an impressive and eloquent appeal to reiterate Pakistani Government's democratic bona fides. Except for cotton and garment trade the Pak-European trade figures are at a modest low level and the current European investment flows in Pakistan are equally modest.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International