Improve ties, but don't forget Kashmir: Pak PM

FRANK TALK: Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gillani speaking to Karan Thapar in his first ever interview to CNN-IBN.

        

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Keywords: Yousuf Raza Gillani, Prime Minister

Yousuf Raza Gillani: It doesn’t mean that he didn’t want to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Karan Thapar: Oh, absolutely!

Yousuf Raza Gillani: Yes?

Karan Thapar: Except that he wasn’t emphasising the UN Resolutions, you are.

Yousuf Raza Gillani: We want to have good relations with India, we want to have even trade relations with India, we share lot of commonalities, but at the same time, we have to have the point of view of the Kashmiri people.

Karan Thapar: Let me, then, approach this a little differently. Many people in India and Pakistan say that whilst Kashmir is important and it mustn’t be forgotten, nonetheless, it mustn’t stop progress in other areas of the India-Pakistan relationship.

Yousuf Raza Gillani: To that extent, I agree.

Karan Thapar: You agree?

Yousuf Raza Gillani: To that extent – if it is not forgotten.

Karan Thapar: Absolutely – if Kashmir is not forgotten, you can still have progress in other areas.

Yousuf Raza Gillani: But there will be lot of hindrances.

Karan Thapar: In other words you are saying Kashmir is not a stumbling block. It mustn’t be forgotten but it mustn’t stop improvement in other areas.

Yousuf Raza Gillani: To some extent, it’s true. But at the same time, we have to have stable relations, so this issue has to be resolved.

Karan Thapar: Absolutely. Now, Asif Zardari, in that interview that I mentioned, said that the way forward was for the two countries to build trade relations, to increase inter-dependence so that both have vested interests in close relations with each other. Would you agree with that?

Yousuf Raza Gillani: That’s right.

Karan Thapar: In which case, how do you propose to boost trade relations?

Yousuf Raza Gillani: In fact, for example, if we want to improve relations, there can be cultural relations, there can be trade relations, and in trade relations we have lot of things which are common, which can be improved, like the cement industry – we can do that. And we can have a lot of trade as far as food is concerned.

Karan Thapar: What about energy?

Yousuf Raza Gillani: We are already doing that – IPI – that is from Iran-Pakistan-India. We just met the President of Iran.

Karan Thapar: As an indication of your serious intents to improve trade relations, would you be prepared to grant India Most Favoured Nation status? It’s something which Pakistani governments haven’t done, it might be an opportunity to do it.

Yousuf Raza Gillani: But we want to have an even playing field for both the countries.

Karan Thapar: So you want something in return.

Yousuf Raza Gillani: That should be equally treated.

Karan Thapar: Is there something in mind that you would like in return for MFN status?

Yousuf Raza Gillani: We can think on those lines, too.

Karan Thapar: And this is something you can discuss with Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee when he comes at the end of this month?

Yousuf Raza Gillani: Certainly. We are even expecting Manmohan Singh’s visit to Pakistan.

Karan Thapar: When are you expecting it? Is the date fixed?

Yousuf Raza Gillani: I don’t know but I’ve been told by the Foreign Office that he’s coming.

Karan Thapar: Let me put it like this: In that interview I keep referring to, Asif Zardari said that if trade can be boosted, confidence and trust between the two countries can be built up and then an environment can be created which can make it easier to sort out the Kashmir issue. Would you accept that approach?

Yousuf Raza Gillani: Yes, I totally accept that approach.