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THE HAGUE: Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday warned against any interference in his country by foreign nations aimed at dealing with insurgents in the unstable border regions of Pakistan.
Qureshi was speaking on the sidelines of a one-day conference in The Hague where more than 70 nations gathered to reinvigorate international efforts to stabilise Afghanistan and Pakistan's western border region.
During the talks, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that any strategy must address the challenge in Afghanistan and Pakistan by integrating military and civilian activities and support them with vigorous international diplomacy.
US President Barack Obama said on Friday he would send an extra 17-thousand soldiers and four-thousand advisers to train Afghan military forces, plus hundreds more civilians to work on development issues.
Although the conference was devoted to Afghanistan, Clinton said it should also focus attention on the border areas of Pakistan, which have provided a safe haven for insurgents.
Qureshi, however, warned against interfering in his country.
"The mandate of NATO and ISAF is at the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, they do not cross the border," Qureshi said.
"If there is some operations required, it will be done by Pakistani troops. No foreign troops will be allowed on Pakistani soil, and they have accepted that position," he added.
The Pakistani foreign minister also said he was eager to resume "as soon as possible" peace talks with neighbouring India that were stalled by the Mumbai attacks.
Qureshi said his government believed repairing relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours was "in Pakistan's interests".
The countries have fought three wars in the last six decades and relations were strained again late last year when gunmen killed 164 people during a three-day siege at two five-star hotels and a Jewish centre in India's financial capital of Mumbai.
Pakistani militants have been accused of planning and carrying out the attacks.
Qureshi said he hoped talks could resume after Indian elections scheduled for April and May.
.:: SAMAA - Qureshi warns of any interference on Pakistani soil
Qureshi was speaking on the sidelines of a one-day conference in The Hague where more than 70 nations gathered to reinvigorate international efforts to stabilise Afghanistan and Pakistan's western border region.
During the talks, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that any strategy must address the challenge in Afghanistan and Pakistan by integrating military and civilian activities and support them with vigorous international diplomacy.
US President Barack Obama said on Friday he would send an extra 17-thousand soldiers and four-thousand advisers to train Afghan military forces, plus hundreds more civilians to work on development issues.
Although the conference was devoted to Afghanistan, Clinton said it should also focus attention on the border areas of Pakistan, which have provided a safe haven for insurgents.
Qureshi, however, warned against interfering in his country.
"The mandate of NATO and ISAF is at the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, they do not cross the border," Qureshi said.
"If there is some operations required, it will be done by Pakistani troops. No foreign troops will be allowed on Pakistani soil, and they have accepted that position," he added.
The Pakistani foreign minister also said he was eager to resume "as soon as possible" peace talks with neighbouring India that were stalled by the Mumbai attacks.
Qureshi said his government believed repairing relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours was "in Pakistan's interests".
The countries have fought three wars in the last six decades and relations were strained again late last year when gunmen killed 164 people during a three-day siege at two five-star hotels and a Jewish centre in India's financial capital of Mumbai.
Pakistani militants have been accused of planning and carrying out the attacks.
Qureshi said he hoped talks could resume after Indian elections scheduled for April and May.
.:: SAMAA - Qureshi warns of any interference on Pakistani soil
