ADDRESS TO PAKISTANI AMERICAN CONGRESS

By Dr. MALEEHA LODHI

Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to United States

Ninth Annual Pakistan Day on Capitol Hill

Wednesday, June 27^th, 2001

Washington, DC

Dr. Riaz Ahmad

Dr. Nisar Chaudhry

Members of the PAC Executive Committee

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This is my fifth appearance at this Annual Pakistan Day of the Pakistani-American Congress. I feel privileged by this association. Your 8th Annual Pakistan Day on Capitol Hill last June was a great success. This year's event will, no doubt, be equally significant.

I wish to congratulate the newly elected members of the Executive Committee.

We must all be profoundly grateful to Dr. Riaz Ahmad for his able stewardship of the Pakistani-American Congress in the last two years and his leadership role in the community over the past many decades. My colleagues and I at the Embassy have always enjoyed working with Dr. Riaz Ahmad. We have no doubt that even as he steps down from PAC's Presidency, he will continue to provide his wise counsel to the Executive Committee and remain active in community affairs.

We have confidence that his successor, following in Dr. Riaz Ahmad's footsteps, would bring even greater vigor to PAC's endeavours.

I also wish to acknowledge the presence of The Honourable Christina Rocca, the new Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, and our other friends from the State Department and the NSC. Ms Rocca is no stranger to South Asia. She brings, to her important position, long-standing experience and a deep understanding of our region and its myriad issues.

I believe I speak on behalf of everyone here as I convey to her our best wishes in her new assignment.

Pakistani-American Community

I have often characterized the Pakistani-American community as a 'bridge' between Pakistan and the United States. This is a highly educated enterprising and affluent community. As it grows in size, the community is also becoming increasingly diverse. Today, it comprises physicians, scientists, engineers, academics, economists, Wall Street financial analysts, IT professionals and entrepreneurs, small business owners, and also limousine owners and cab drivers. In their respective fields, they are making a valuable contribution to the success of the US economy. They are also adding immensely to the diversity and richness of the cultural mosaic called America.

Pakistani-Americans also recognize the value of dynamic participation in this country's mainstream political process. They remain in touch with their representatives at the local district, and national level and express their views on issues that include those having a bearing on the US-Pakistani relationship. They have combated negative and stereotypical imaging of Pakistan, emphasized closer political, economic and commercial ties between Pakistan and the US, and stressed the need for a balanced and constructive US policy on South Asian issues. Their endeavours have been instrumental in promoting deeper understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries. PAC's activities represent a microcosm of what other Pakistani-American organizations and the community at large have been doing over the years.

Pakistani-Americans are also contributing to the socio-economic development of their country of origin. Like their familial bonds, their economic and commercial linkages with Pakistan are very strong. They send remittances, invest in Pakistan and finance projects in basic health, literacy and quality education. These endeavours are deeply appreciated in Pakistan, particularly at this challenging time of economic and political reform in our country. They, like all our other well-wishers, recognize that the present reform process and its success is critical to the future of Pakistan. I, therefore, have confidence that this support would not only continue but increase in the coming months and years.

As we have done in the past, we will continue to draw upon this vital resource to deepen the decades-old friendship between our two peoples and inject greater vibrancy and productive content to our bilateral relationship. I am sure the Bush Administration is equally interested in strengthening this "bridge" between Pakistan and the US. This is a shared objective, and we willwork jointly for its realization. The presence of Assistant Secretary Rocca here today is testimony to this fact.

Pakistan-US Relations

Since our independence, the United States has been perceived as a friend in Pakistan. We developed a close and cooperative relationship - with economic and military dimensions - soon after our birth as a free nation. This has worked to the benefit of both countries. The Pakistan-US partnership was pivotal at critical moments in the Cold War. It stabilized West Asia and the Gulf in the early years. Later, the Sino-US rapprochement facilitated with Pakistan's help, strengthened the US position in the global East-West conflict. Later, our joint endeavours reversed the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and helped to bring an end to the Cold War.

I refer to this history because I believe that relationships between nations are not only the product of shared interests but also shared history. This shared history has created personal friendships and positive perceptions which have enabled the two countries to continue to work together to address the emerging problems of the post Cold War era despite, at times, divergent evaluation and approaches.

Inevitably, the future relationship between Pakistan and the US must be based on facts and not myth, on interests and not emotions on mutual understanding and tolerance, not distorted images of each other. But, in interacting with each other, it is our hope that our American friends will not forget that an inter-State relations are built ultimately on mutual trust and confidence; that the trust and confidence which was created between our countries during the difficult days of the Cold War will not be undermined by the temporary difficulties we encounter.

We believe a close Pak-US relationship, besides being beneficial to both countries, is a factor of stability in South Asia. But we also agree with Assistant Secretary Rocca, as she told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that this relationship is in need of "re-building".

Pakistan and the United States continue to share a convergence of interests and objectives not only in South Asia but also in the adjacent regions of Central Asia and the Gulf.

Pakistan attaches a high priority to reviving and reinforcing its long-standing friendly relationship with the United States. Today, more than ever, our countries continue to share vital common interests and strategic objectives, especially in South Asia, Central Asia and the Gulf.

A new and sustainable relationship between Pakistan and the US can be built on the principles of mutual respect, non-discrimination, positive engagement, and a strategic long-term vision.

We believe the new Bush Administration seeks such a relationship with Pakistan. We, on our part, are fully prepared to respond. In fact, a good beginning has been made with Foreign Minister Sattar's visit to Washington last week.

Pakistan and the US have already been cooperating fruitfully in the global arena on issues like international peacekeeping, counter-narcotics, and counter-terrorism. We have colloborated in peacekeeping missions in different parts of the world - from Bosnia to Somalia to Haiti. Already participating in nine separate missions worldwide, Pakistan is now in the process of deploying over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone. Once that deployment is completed, Pakistan will become one of the world's largest contributors to international peacekeeping forces. Our role in this arena is gratefully acknowledged by the international community.

Another "success story" is Pak-US cooperation in the elimination of illegal narcotics production, which has led to dramatic results. From over 8,000 hectares of opium poppy production in 1992, Pakistan has become almost poppy-free in 2001. This is a model of cooperation that can be emulated in other spheres of our bilateral relationship as well.

There is scope for further engagement in the nuclear and missile fields, as Pakistan shares the objectives of non-proliferation and acts with restraint and responsibility. Regionally, our two countries have a shared interest in the maintenance of peace and stability, promotion of a peaceful solution of Kashmir, prevention of a nuclear and conventional arms race, and preservation of a united, stable, pluralist, and economically reconstructed Afghanistan. Beyond that there is convergence in our strategic economic objectives in the region and beyond. Not only can we work together to develop the vast economic potential of South Asia but also create beneficial linkages with Central Asia in the communications and energy sectors.

I believe Assistant Secretary Rocca would agree with me that during the Foreign Minister's visit the two sides had comprehensive in-depth and fruitful discussions on bilateral matters, strategic issues, and regional issues including Afghanistan and the upcoming Pak-India Summit.

During the visit, we commenced a process of thinking together of ways and means to

address various facets of the Afghanistan problem: addressing terrorism, providing humanitarian relief and economic reconstruction, and creating an environment in which political reconciliation and peace can be realised.

Our consultations on strategic issues were also useful. They have helped us to understand more fully the rationale and nature of the new security framework which President Bush has outlined. Our main concern is, of course, to preserve the credibility of minimum deterrence in our region. To this end, India and Pakistan should promote nuclear and conventional restraint.

President Musharraf will soon be visiting India at the invitation of Prime Minister Vajpayee. We look with hope towards this summit. President Musharraf has said he will be going with "an open mind and an open agenda". Durable peace between Pakistan and India obviously requires an equitable solution to the Kashmir dispute, responsive to the aspirations of its people.

As we embark on the long journey towards stable and peaceful relations with India, we shall continue to look for fair and friendly intercession of the United States to help in resolving the Kashmir dispute and in overcoming the legacy of antagonism and distrust.

Our further consultations when Foreign Secretary Inam-ul-Haque visits Washington in early August at the invitation of Under Secretary Marc Grossman, will enable us to promote this positive agenda.

I must underscore, however, that the issue of sanctions continues to cast a shadow on our bilateral relationship. Our relations cannot achieve their full potential as long as the multi-layered, unilateral, discriminatory sanctions on Pakistan remain in place. We have welcomed the sanctions review initiated by the Bush Administration and have carefully noted the statements made by key officials on the relevance and usefulness of sanctions as a policy instrument.

We cannot stress enough that it is time to remove all nuclear-related sanctions on Pakistan. Fairness demands that measures for sanctions relief treat both South Asian countries in a similar fashion, because these sanctions were triggered by a similar action. A differentiated approach, either in terms of timing or scope, would strengthen perceptions of discrimination against Pakistan and impede our progress towards a more productive relationship. We are confident that the Administration would keep these important factors in view while taking decisions that would have far-reaching effects on its relations with countries of South Asia.

A Partnership for Peace and Development in South Asia

It is now a cliche to say that South Asia is "the most dangerous place in the world". In our region, there exists a combustible mix of religious antagonisms, political disputes, especially Kashmir, large armies deployed along long borders, and now the overt possession and impending deployment of nuclear weapons. The endeavour to build a security architecture for South Asia is thus a global imperative. It is also a pre-requisite for the realization of progress and prosperity for the 1.3 billion people of the subcontinent.

The first step towards building such a security architecture must be to get the dialogue going at various levels, first of all, the bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan.

A new security architecture for South Asia should be built on four pillars. The first of these pillars is nuclear restraint with a view to forestalling an all-out nuclear arms race. Secondly, a stable nuclear structure in South Asia must also provide for a balance in the conventional forces and capabilities of the two countries.

Third, such measures for nuclear restraint and conventional arms control could enable the two countries to observe what they have both professed: the maintenance of deterrence at a "minimum" level and the creation of stability in the nuclearized environment of South Asia.

It seems self-evident that such stability and assured security will require that India and Pakistan address and resolve the Kashmir dispute, the central element of their political confrontation and tensions.

The fourth pillar of any security regime in South Asia must be the promotion of economic and social development in the region. Prosperity is the best path to peace. We believe that instead of diverting major resources for armaments, both Pakistan and India as well as the other countries of South Asia, must turn to the priority task of promoting economic progress and development. Prosperity for South Asia can be decisively accelerated by the creation of a five-dimensional link between South Asia and Central Asia through Afghanistan -- involving road, rail, oil, gas and electricity linkages between the two regions. Such arrangements could open the way for the exploitation of the natural economic complementarities between these two regions, whose potential still remains largely unutilized.

A balanced US policy is critical to the realization of the goals of peace, stability, and long-term economic development of South Asia. It would encourage conflict-resolution and foster peace and cooperation. Encouraging regional domination however is likely to accentuate political tensions, increase diplomatic intransigence, perpetuate regional conflicts and intensify instability in the region.

Within this framework we can evolve a Pakistan-US partnership for peace and development in South Asia. Together we can work to promote better relations between Pakistan and India, which are poised for a historic Summit next month. President Musharraf will be going to India with an open mind, a flexible attitude and a sense of realism.

Conflict resolution and efforts for strategic restraint would inevitably foster an environment conducive to economic development of our region. We believe the economic revival of South Asia through regional cooperation and its integration into the global economy is of equal significance and imperative for addressing problems of poverty and deprivation for one-fifth of the humanity that resides there.

US relations with South Asian countries, characterized by increased trade, commercial and investment linkages, would be crucial in this regard. This objective would be enhanced at the upcoming Summit in India where President Musharraf hopes to have discussions on economic and trade issues as well.

The highest priority of the Pakistan government is economic revival. We are encouraged by the US Administration's desire to support this objective. The continuation of US sanctions against Pakistan is incompatible with this desire. We trust that solutions can be devised to lift these sanctions.

Democracy is well on its way to being revived in Pakistan, first and foremost, at the grass roots. The local elections have confirmed the moderate and modernistic sentiments of the Pakistani people. We hope to complete the process of provincial and national elections before next October in accordance with the schedule prescribed by the Supreme Court.

Consistent with the traditions of Pakistan-US friendship, we look forward to the support of the US Administration to the realization of Pakistan's endeavours to respond to the several challenges it confronts at this vital moment in our history.