Disarmament Diplomacy
Issue No. 40, September - October 1999
Military Coup in Pakistan
Speech by General Pervez Musharraf
"Text of Gen. Pervez Musharraf's speech, 17 October", reproduced
in The Dawn newspaper, Pakistan, October 18, 1999.
"Pakistan today stands at the crossroads of its destiny... [W]e
have lost our honour, our dignity, our respect in the comity of
nations. ... Is this the way to enter the new millennium? ...
My fellow Pakistanis, as you are aware I took over in extremely
unusual circumstances - not of my making. It is unbelievable and
indeed unfortunate that the few at the helm of affairs in the last
Government were intriguing to destroy the last institution of
stability left in Pakistan by creating dissension in the ranks of
the armed forces of Pakistan. ... My dear countrymen, the choice
before us on 12 October was between saving the body - that is, the
nation - at the cost of losing a limb - which is the Constitution -
or saving the limb and losing the whole body. ... The Constitution
has only been temporarily held in abeyance. This is not martial
law, only another path towards democracy. ...
I wish to reassure the international community that there is no
change in our foreign policy. ... Here I would like to mention two
key areas of our external relations: international security and
disarmament, and our relations with India. Pakistan has always been
alive to international non-proliferation concerns. Last year, we
were compelled to respond to India's nuclear tests in order to
restore strategic balance in the interest of our national security
and regional peace and stability. In the new nuclear environment in
South Asia, we believe that both Pakistan and India have to
exercise utmost restraint and responsibility. We owe it to our
people and to the world. I wish to assure the world community that,
while preserving its vital security interests, Pakistan will
continue to pursue a policy of nuclear and missile restraint and
sensitivity to global non-proliferation and disarmament
objectives.
As for relations with India, let me at the outset congratulate
Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee on assumption of office as the Prime
Minister of India. I welcome his offer for friendly relations and
positively reciprocate. ... [The] 20th Century saw our transition
to independence, but the region has unfortunately remained mired in
conflicts and economic deprivation. Together Pakistan and India can
change this scenario. For this objective, both must sincerely work
together towards resolving their problems, especially the core
issue of Jammu and Kashmir. ...
Pakistan would welcome unconditional, equitable and
result-oriented dialogue with India. While our armed forces are
fully equipped and ready to defend our national sovereignty and
territorial integrity, it is our desire that the situation on our
borders with India and on the Line of Control [LoC] should remain
calm and peaceful. I take this opportunity to announce a unilateral
military de-escalation on our international borders with India and
initiate the return of all our forces moved to the borders in the
recent past. I hope this step would serve as a meaningful
confidence-building measure. ... "
© 1999 The Acronym Institute.
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