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PAKISTAN-SAUDI-ARABIA-PRINCE-POLITICS,LEAD
Saudi vows to ‘de-escalate’ India-Pakistan tensions after Kashmir attack
ISLAMABAD, Feb 18, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Saudi Arabia vowed to “de-escalate”
rising tensions between Pakistan and India during a high-profile summit in
Islamabad Monday as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prepares to travel from
Islamabad to New Delhi.
The kingdom’s foreign minister spoke at a press conference in Islamabad as
Pakistan recalled its envoy from Delhi for “consultations”, the latest
development in a fresh diplomatic crisis between the nuclear-armed
neighbours.
Delhi has vowed to retaliate after a suicide blast which killed 41 Indian
paramilitaries in Kashmir on Thursday, the deadliest attack in the disputed
Himalayan region in decades.
The attack has sparked widespread calls in India for action against
Pakistan.
“Our objective is to try to de-escalate tensions between the two
countries, neighbouring countries, and to see if there is a path forward to
resolving those differences peacefully,” said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-
Jubeir.
Following the pledge, the crown prince — widely known as MBS — held a
series of meetings Monday afternoon with the Pakistani leadership before
flying on to India.
Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since independence from
Britain in 1947, with both the countries, which have fought three wars,
claiming it in its entirety.
The Pakistan-based Islamist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed
responsibility for Thursday’s attack and the vehicle was driven by a known
local militant.
India is garnering diplomatic support after the attack and has vowed to
“isolate” Pakistan in the international community, saying it has
“incontrovertible evidence” of Islamabad’s role.
Pakistan has rejected the allegations.
– Warm welcome –
After his arrival late Sunday, MBS signed $20 billion in investment deals
with cash-strapped Islamabad and vowed to free thousands of Pakistani
prisoners in Saudi custody.
Islamabad is facing a serious balance of payments crisis and hopes the
huge deals signed over the two-day visit — seven separate agreements and
memorandums of understanding — will boost its struggling economy.
Pakistan laid on a lavish welcome for the crown prince, including a 21-gun
salute, fighter jet escort and honour guard.
He also received the country’s highest civilian award Monday, the Nishan-
e-Pakistan (Order of Pakistan), before heading to India to meet with Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
MBS is staging a three-country Asian tour just five months after the
murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a fierce critic, at the Saudi consulate
in Istanbul ignited a diplomatic crisis.
After India, he is expected to finish with two days in China on Thursday
and Friday.
The Saudis, after initially denying they knew anything of Khashoggi’s
disappearance, finally acknowledged that a team killed him inside the
consulate, but described it as a rogue operation that did not involve the
crown prince.
Turkey said Friday it has not yet revealed all the information it has
uncovered in the case, which launched a global wave of revulsion and
tarnished the crown prince’s reputation.
Analysts have said the tour is part of a Gulf pivot to rising Asia as a
growing oil market, but also a timely demonstration to the West that MBS is
not an international pariah.
Pakistan has also been accused by its western neighbour Iran of harbouring
militants who carried out an attack that killed 27 Revolutionary Guards last
week. The Guards’ commander has also vowed to make Pakistan pay.
But Islamabad received a boost from Jubeir, who called Tehran a “chief
sponsor of terrorism” during Monday’s live press conference.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed a long alliance dating back to the
founding of the Islamic republic.
However, Islamabad has also tried to walk a fine line by maintaining warm
relations with its neighbour — and Saudi Arabia’s regional foe — Iran.
Jubeir also noted that Riyadh continues to participate in a months-long
push by Washington for peace talks in Afghanistan, saying that if the war-
torn country can be stabilised “it will be to benefit… the region as a
whole”.
Last week the Taliban announced they would attend talks in Islamabad with
the US and Pakistan on Monday that had been due to coincide with the crown
prince’s visit.
Neither Washington nor Pakistan confirmed the talks, however, and the
Taliban announced Sunday that they had been postponed as its militants “were
unable to travel due to the US and UN blacklist”.
Taliban negotiators have recently visited Russia, Qatar, and the UAE.
Fresh talks are set to be held between the US and the militants in Doha on
February 25.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1840HRS