DCC welcomes unconditional invitation by NATO Secretary General to the President of Pakistan to attend Chicago Summit

                                                                                       Islamabad 15 May, 2012

The Defence Committee of the Cabinet met here today under chairmanship of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Raza Gilani and was attended by Ministers for defence, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and three Services Chiefs as well as Director General ISI.

The Committee reviewed Pakistan’s cooperation in the context of international community’s security and stabilization efforts in Afghanistan.

In keeping with the letter and spirit of Parliamentary Committee recommendations, the DCC authorized officers of relevant ministries/departments to conclude the ongoing negotiation on the new terms and conditions for resumption of GLOCs. The new terms and conditions should incorporate a clause, as recommended by Parliament, to the effect that only non-lethal cargo would be allowed to transit through Pakistan to Afghanistan.

It was also decided that the military authorities should negotiate fresh border ground rules of NATO/ISAF to ensure that Salala type incidents do not reoccur.

The DCC welcomed the unconditional invitation by the NATO Secretary General to the President of Pakistan to attend NATO summit in Chicago. The DCC fully endorsed the visit of the President for the Summit.

The Committee further decided that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would continue to remain engaged with the government of the United States on other Parliamentary recommendations, including the question of apology and cessation of drone attacks.

The Committee also discussed the Parliament’s call for expulsion of foreign fighters, if found, on the Pakistani side.