ISLAMABAD: Pakistan condemned Israel's recognition of Somaliland as "political aggression" and called on Muslim-majority nations to intensify efforts on resolving the Kashmir and Palestine issues, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tahir Andrabi, said Thursday.
Briefing reporters on the week's diplomatic activities, Andrabi said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar led Pakistan's condemnation at the 22nd Extraordinary Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers in Jeddah.
Dar "strongly condemned the illegal and unlawful recognition by Israel of the Somaliland region, as well as subsequent unwarranted and highly provocative visits of Israeli officials to the territory," the spokesman said.
The foreign minister called such acts "political aggression and a direct assault on Somalia's internationally recognized borders, setting a perilous precedent and threatening peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea region, and beyond," Andrabi said.
Kashmir, Palestine positions
At the conference, Dar "rejected any proposal for dislocation of the Palestinian people" and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to "an independent, contiguous, and sovereign state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders with [Jerusalem] as its capital," the spokesman said.
The foreign minister "urged the OIC to step up its efforts towards the realization of the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir."
Presidential Bahrain visit
At the weekly briefing, the spokesperson said that President Asif Ali Zardari is on an official visit to Bahrain. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has awarded President Zardari the Sheikh Isa Award during talks at Qudaibiya Palace in Manama.
Earlier, the president received a guard of honor and discussed trade and investment, defense cooperation, support for Pakistan's expatriate community, and regional and global issues.
The spokesman said that the visit "seeks to reinforce Pakistan's long-standing cooperation with the brotherly Gulf nation, while expanding opportunities for collaboration in trade and economic partnerships, defense and security, and people-to-people ties."
Qatar, regional diplomacy
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by phone with Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, about recent developments in the Middle East.
Sharif "appreciated Qatar's constructive and proactive role in promoting peace, dialogue, and mediation across the region," the spokesman said.
Both leaders agreed to remain in close contact.
Jeddah consulate opening
Foreign Minister Dar also inaugurated a new building for Pakistan's Consulate General in Jeddah, raising the Pakistani flag and planting a tree on the premises. The new facility will serve 1.8 million Pakistanis in western Saudi Arabia and "improve service delivery for the Pakistani community there," the spokesman said.
Bilateral meetings
Dar held meetings in Jeddah with foreign ministers from Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Egypt, as well as Saudi Arabia's deputy foreign minister and the OIC secretary general, Andrabi said.
The spokesman said Dar spoke by phone this week with foreign ministers from Uzbekistan, Iran, and Myanmar to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues. He also spoke with Indonesia's investment minister about strengthening economic partnerships.
