By DAVID STRINGER, Associated Press Writer
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz urged the international community Tuesday to show restraint in the confrontation with Iran over its nuclear program and said he opposed any resort to the use of force.
Aziz said in a speech to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London that Pakistani government officials had held discussions with Iranian leaders to convey the concerns of the international community in "unambiguous terms."
The United States, the European Union and other world powers fear Tehran is aiming to use its nuclear program to build weapons, but Iran insists it is only meant for power generation.
"Pakistan is opposed to nuclear weapons proliferation but we recognize Iran's right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes under IAEA safeguards," Aziz said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog.
The IAEA revealed in November that the black market network run by the father of Pakistan's nuclear program, Abdul Qadeer Khan, had provided Iran with detailed designs that appeared to be part of a blueprint for a nuclear warhead.
When it was first revealed two years ago that Khan headed a weapons black market, Pakistan's government denied any knowledge of his proliferation activities.
Aziz said Pakistan "opposes any resort to the use of force" to reach a settlement in an "already disturbed region."
"Pakistan will certainly continue to do its part to advise restraint by all sides," Aziz said.
Aziz told delegates that Pakistan had cooperated with an IAEA investigation into Khan who is under house arrest and said what "happened in the past was largely an individual act."
He met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Monday and addressed the Asia 2015 conference, a London meeting of Asian ministers organized by Britain's international development ministry.
Aziz said he had sought Blair's support over a settlement on Kashmir, the Himalayan land divided between Pakistan and India and claimed by both.
Pakistan is optimistic a final agreement with India over the disputed territory can be reached, he told the forum.
India on Monday announced a schedule for peace talks with Pakistan to begin later in March and be spread over four months.
"Dispute resolution needs to move faster. The core issue between Pakistan and India to ensure peace will be settlement of the Kashmir issue," Aziz said Tuesday.
He said Pakistani proposals to consider self-governance for Kashmir and demilitarization over the territory needs to be seriously considered by all sides.
Aziz also urged the international community not to withdraw hastily from Afghanistan in the future, praising the NATO-led security mission which is expanding into southern regions neighboring Pakistan.
Britain is currently deploying around 4,000 additional troops to Helmand province on a security and rebuilding mission.
Foreign powers had abandoned Afghanistan following the Soviet retreat in 1989, Aziz said, and must not repeat the "mistake of history."
