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Pak envoy flays Annan over Kashmir

Two days after taking up his duties, Pakistan's new United Nations envoy, Ambassador Inam ul Haque, has mildly criticised Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his attitude toward the long-festering Kashmir dispute with India.

''He (the secretary-general) stated on a number of occasions that he would be prepared to help the two countries in the resolution of this problem -- and perhaps any other problems -- provided both countries asked for it,'' the ambassador said at an informal meeting with reporters yesterday.

''We respect that. But perhaps if I may add a personal note, I don't think that is necessarily the correct position. Because if the international community is going to leave the two countries to resolve all their problems by themselves, bilaterally, and if those problems are not resolved for decade after decade, what are these countries expected to do?'' he asked.

The ambassador, who presented his credentials to Annan on Tuesday, said the UN Charter provided a number of dispute-settlement mechanisms and ''perhaps it is the duty of the international community to exert pressure on those countries to resort'' to some of those mechanisms.

In answer to another question, he said Annan was ''providing excellent leadership to the United Nations and in all international affairs''.

''What I am suggesting is that the secretary-general represents the United Nations and the international community. We would like the international community to be more forthcoming,'' he added.

One of the ambassador's first duties since taking up his new post was to send a letter to the secretary-general enclosing a note from Pakistani Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz strongly protesting India's shooting down of a Pakistani patrol aircraft on Tuesday.

In response to another question, the ambassador said he hoped the example of East Timor, a long-standing dispute that now appears on the road to resolution, could be followed in the case of Kashmir.

''We hope that the example of East Timor can be followed in Kashmir also and the issue of Kashmir can also be resolved in accordance with the resolutions that have been adopted by the Security Council,'' he said.

He was referring to resolutions dating back to 1948 calling for a referendum to determine the future of Kashmir.

UNI

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