November 14, 2008	Friday	Ziqa'ad 15, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: The Foreign Office said on Thursday that US drone attacks on tribal areas were a violation of ‘understandings’ between the two sides and international law.

“The rules of engagement are very clear and the attacks are in violation of all understandings,” Foreign Office Spokesman Mohammad Sadiq said at his weekly media briefing.

The government was committed to doing whatever was possible to stop the attacks, he said. “We are working again at several levels to address them.”

Welcoming the renewed international interest in resolution of the Kashmir issue after statements by US President-elect Barack Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in this regard, the spokesman said Pakistan was ready to consider any constructive proposal for addressing the dispute, “whether bilaterally or through a multilateral organisation or third-party mediation”.

“The sooner this dispute is resolved the better off the region will be,” Mr Sadiq said. He said Pakistan looked forward to continued constructive engagement with India to address all outstanding issues and achieve a mutually beneficial cooperative relationship.

He said officials from the two countries would hold meetings on terrorism and drug trafficking on Nov 25 in Islamabad and on the Sir Creek issue on Dec 2-3 in New Delhi as part of the fifth round of ‘composite dialogue’. The dates for meetings on the other agenda items of the dialogue -- Siachen, Wullar Barrage, economic and commercial cooperation and promotion of friendly exchanges -- are being finalised.

The spokesman expressed the hope that India would resolve the water dispute at the earliest in accordance with the Indus Water Treaty and in the “spirit of promoting good neighbourly relations between the two countries”.

The matter was being pursued with India at the technical, diplomatic and political levels, he said.

Commenting on reports of new Indian air bases coming up along the border, the spokesman said actions that could increase tension or cause an arms race would be counter-productive to the interest of the South Asian region and its people.

He said 29 Pakistani prisoners would be repatriated from India on Friday through Wagah border.

KIDNAPPINGS: Mr Sadiq said Pakistan felt “embarrassed” at the “extremely unfortunate” kidnapping of Iranian and Afghan diplomats from Peshawar.

However, he rejected fears that the incidents could harm Pakistan’s ties with friendly countries. They were “aware of the sincerity and vigour with which the government is pursuing the matter of recovery of their abducted citizens,” he said.