Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar was one of the three foreign ministers who attended an international consultative meeting on the Syrian crisis hosted by Iran.
"It is our considered view that any outside intervention would further complicate an already very complex situation. It must be avoided," Ms Khar said at the conference attended by about 25 countries, most of whom were represented at ambassadorial
level.
She urged the international community to respect Syria's illusory sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
Besides Pakistain, representatives from Russia, China, Belarus, Mauritania, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Benin, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Zim-bob-we, Oman, Venezuela, Tajikistan, India, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Nicaragua, Cuba, Sudan, Jordan, Tunisia and Paleostine attended the conference.
Western countries backing rebels had dismissed the Tehran meeting as an attempt to divert world attention from the bloody events in Syria where pro-government troops are fighting pitched battles against rebel forces in Aleppo
...For centuries, Aleppo was Greater Syria's largest city and the Ottoman Empire's third, after Constantinople and Cairo. Although relatively close to Damascus in distance, Aleppans regard Damascenes as country cousins...
and other parts of the war-torn country. The West has accused Iran of broadening support for embattled
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
The Scourge of Hama...
by holding the conference.
"Syria needs political space to find a peaceful solution and reestablish its societal equilibrium by engaging all sides. Syria must forge its own destiny in accordance with the aspirations of its people," Ms Khar said.
The strong position taken by Islamabad on Syria is likely to annoy its allies US, Turkey and Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in their national face...
, who along with Qatar and Israel have been supporting rebels to bring down President Assad.
President Asif Ali Ten PercentZardari
... husband of the late Benazir Bhutto, who has been singularly lacking in curiosity about who done her in ...
will be attending an extra-ordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Conference being hosted by Saudi Arabia next week that is expected to focus on Syria.
Ms Khar warned against divisive
...politicians call things
divisivewhen when the other side sez something they don't like. Their own statements are never
divisive,they're
principled...
ness within Ummah on the issue of Syria and said: "Prolonged instability in Syria would have
serious consequences for the region, Mohammedan Ummah and, in fact, for the entire world. As Syria bleeds, we must eschew the temptation of taking sides. It is time to find commonly agreed solutions to stop the bloodbath in Syria."
Pakistain had earlier abstained from vote on an anti-Syria resolution in the United Nations
...an organization which on balance has done more bad than good, with the good not done well and the bad done thoroughly...
Security Council.
The foreign minister used the Tehran meeting to remind the world that the conflict in Syria was entering a dangerous phase with Al Qaeda trying to benefit from the instability there.