Japan-Pakistan Summit Meeting
(Summary)
September 12, 2002
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, during his visit to New York, held talks with General Pervaiz Musharraf, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan at the U.N. Headquarters on September 11. The following is a summary of the meeting.
1. Fight Against Terrorism
(1) Prime Minister Koizumi said that he was delighted to be able to meet President Musharraf, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States. He also expressed respect to President Musharraf for exercising leadership in the fight against terrorism despite the fact that he was facing various difficulties.
(2) President Musharraf said that he was also very delighted to be able to meet Prime Minister Koizumi and expressed appreciation for the prime minister's words. President Musharraf stated that although there are difficulties, he wanted to continue his efforts.
2. Bilateral Relations
(1) Prime Minister Koizumi said that, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Japan and Pakistan, he wanted to further develop the friendly relations between the two countries. On the subject of economic cooperation, with regard to the third-phase of the Kohat Tunnel Construction Project, a loan aid project, he said that Japan, while consulting with Pakistan, is pleased to extend as much cooperation as possible.
(2) President Musharraf stated that, this year being the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, he wanted to further strengthen bilateral relations. He invited Prime Minister Koizumi to visit Pakistan. Also, President Musharraf expressed his sincere gratitude for Japan's economic cooperation, and in particular he requested Japan's assistance in the third-phase of the Kohat Tunnel Construction Project and the supply of the remaining part of $300 million grant cooperation.
(3) Prime Minister Koizumi expressed gratitude for the invitation to visit Pakistan. Regarding the $300 million grant cooperation, he said that Japan would try to implement the grant as committed.
3. India-Pakistan Situation
(1) Prime Minister Koizumi noted that tension seemed to have reduced a little since his telephone talks with the leaders of India and Pakistan in June and asked President Musharraf to continue to display self-restraint and to make efforts toward a peaceful settlement. Prime Minister Koizumi also requested President Musharraf to make efforts so that the killing of an election candidate in Kashmir on September 11 does not lead to an emotional reaction between India and Pakistan.
(2) President Musharraf expressed appreciation for Prime Minister Koizumi's efforts toward the reduction of tension and normalization of relations between India and Pakistan, and asked for the prime minister's assistance in resuming dialogue, saying that Pakistan had consistently called for the de-escalation of tension and resumption of dialogue but that India did not respond to it and only exerted various pressure.
4. Democratization in Pakistan
(1) Prime Minister Koizumi expressed the hope that the general election in Pakistan in October would be held in a free and fair manner and said that Japan was considering the dispatch of election observers.
(2) President Musharraf promised the fair and transparent implementation of the general election and welcomed Japan's dispatch of election observers.
5. Situation in Afghanistan
(1) President Musharraf stated that what is important is that the commitment of $4.5 billion pledged at the International Conference of Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan held in Tokyo is disbursed to the administration of President Hamid Karzai.
(2) In reply to questions from Prime Minister Koizumi about the change in relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan over the last year and the state of return of Afgan refugees from Pakistan, President Musharraf said that Pakistan fully supports the administration of President Karzai but that there were some anti-Pakistan elements within that administration. He also said that the effective rule of the Karzai administration did not extend across the whole of the country and that power vacuums existed. Also, he said, the multiethnic principle was not being obeyed. He said that these and the restoration of public order were issues to be tackled with. Furthermore, President Musharraf said that one million refugees out of about 3.5 million had already been repatriated from Pakistan and that the realization of stability and reconstruction in Afghanistan would lead to the further repatriation of refugees.
6. Other
President Musharraf said that, frankly speaking, anti-U.S. sentiment did exist in Pakistan and that he was concerned about the possibility that the recent debate concerning Iraq would not necessarily move this sentiment in a good direction.
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