Waqas 48 Posted June 17, 2004 Pakistan’s conditional readiness to send troops in Iraq ISTANBUL: The North African states of Tunisia and Morocco along with Pakistan have offered to send troops to protect the United Nations should it return to Iraq, an Arab minister said. "The interim Iraqi government has made it known that it is not opposed to Arab troops joining the force charged with protecting UN staff and buildings, as long as they are not from neighbouring countries," the minister told a TV channel. "Two Arab countries, Tunisia and Morocco, have said they are ready to send troops as well as a major OIC member, Pakistan," said the minister who did not wish to be named. However he stressed: "These forces will not be in charge of security in Iraq as their mission is solely focused on the protection of UN personnel." UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has said the international body's return to Iraq would depend on the security situation there. The OIC also called on the United Nations to send troops to the Palestinian territories and reaffirmed its support for the creation of a Palestinian state. The final statement, known as the Istanbul Declaration, also called for an end to the Israeli occupation of "all Arab territories, including Jerusalem," and for lifting Israel's siege of the headquarters of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. A call was also made for the international community to bring northern Cyprus back into the fold after the failure of a recent UN peace plan aimed at trying to reunite the island, but no solid statement was seen regarding resolution of Kashmir. The OIC hit out at US sanctions against Syria, and called on other member states to strengthen their links with Damascus. The statement also condemned all forms of global terrorism and committed OIC members to political and social reform. "We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms, including state terrorism... we agree to redouble our efforts in fighting this international scourge." "We all aim to strengthen the representative character and the democratic practices or our governments," it added. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Waqas 48 Posted July 6, 2004 Pakistan ready to send troops to Iraq: Musharraf STOCKHIM: President General Pervez Musharraf said that Pakistan would go to Iraq only under the United Nations mandate and if the Iraqi people want us to come for rehabilitation of their country. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
