United Nations
11 July 2008
Pakistan's foreign minister was at the United Nations Thursday lobbyingthe secretary-general and powerful member states to support hisgovernment's request for an independent commission to investigate theassassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. FromUnited Nation's headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer hasmore.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi met withU.N. chief Ban Ki-moon Thursday afternoon to discuss his government'srequest, which was made early last month.
In it, the Pakistanigovernment asked for an independent commission of inquiry to beestablished to identify the "culprits, perpetrators, organizers andfinanciers" of Mrs. Bhutto's assassination last December. She waskilled in a suicide attack during an election rally in the city ofRawalpindi.
In a read-out of the meeting, Mr. Ban's office saidthe U.N. chief had "responded positively" to the request, but saidfurther consultations with Pakistan and others within the U.N. would benecessary.
But both Qureshi and the secretary-general's officesaid a "broad understanding" had been reached on some major issues. ThePakistani minister listed them for reporters.
"Broadunderstanding has been reached on the following issues - the nature ofthe proposed commission, funding modalities, composition of thecommission, unhindered access to all sources of relevant informationand elements to safeguard the objectivity, impartiality andindependence of the commission," said Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
Mr.Ban held a news conference on a wide array of subjects earlier in theday. When asked whether he had made any decision about an investigationcommission he was non-committal and said he would discuss severalpoints at length with the Pakistani minister.
While at theUnited Nations, Minister Qureshi said he also met with representativesof the permanent five members of the Security Council - the UnitedStates, Britain, France, China and Russia. Although he indicated thatit would not be necessary for the secretary-general to refer thismatter to the council and that the U.N. chief could appoint the futurecommission.
On Friday, Qureshi travels to Washington, where heis scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and othersenior administration officials, as well as lawmakers on Capitol Hill.