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Friday, Jun 30, 2006

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Pakistan objects to Rice's remarks

Nirupama Subramanian

We do not require advice from outside, says Ministry spokesperson

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed strong objections to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's statements on the world's expectations that President Pervez Musharraf will hold free and fair elections in 2007.

The Foreign Office spokesperson said the subject did not come up during Ms. Rice's talks with Gen. Musharraf.

The Foreign Office was reacting to Ms. Rice's comments to journalists on board the special aircraft that brought her to Islamabad, and later at a press briefing here, where she gave a detailed reply to a question on free and fair elections in Pakistan.

"I have had discussions with the President, with the Foreign Minister... But we are very clear that the expectation is that Pakistan is going to take that step on the road to democracy, that it is not just a matter of election day, it is a matter of access to press, it is a matter of access to be able to assemble and to campaign. We've been very clear about all of that. And I have heard the commitment of the Foreign Minister and of the President and of the Prime Minister and others to that process," Ms. Rice said in remarks at a joint press briefing with Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri.

In a statement after Ms. Rice's departure from Islamabad, the Foreign Office said "there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that the elections will be free and fair".

"This is the commitment of the leadership and Government of Pakistan. On the democratic processes in Pakistan, we do not require advice from outside," the spokesperson said.

Deputy Minister for Information Tariq Azeem said Pakistan would not take "dictation" from anyone on its internal affairs.

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