Islamabad: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has conveyed to her German counterpart Guido Westerwelle Pakistan's decision not to participate in the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan to protest against a cross-border NATO air strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
Khar informed Westerwelle of the Pakistan government's decision during a phone conversation last night.
She told him the decision had been endorsed by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security Committee in its meeting yesterday.
She conveyed her appreciation for Germany's commitment to peace and stability in Afghanistan, which was demonstrated in its efforts to host the Bonn Conference.
Westerwelle thanked Khar for informing him of the Pakistan government's decision and said he looked forward to receiving her in Berlin soon.
Khar also received a phone call yesterday from her British counterpart William Hague.
She apprised Hague of Pakistan's concerns about "NATO/ISAF attacks in Pakistani territory" and the decision not to participate in the Bonn Conference.
Hague expressed Britain's "understanding of Pakistan's position", said a statement from the Foreign Office.
Pakistan responded angrily to the NATO air strike on two of its military border posts a week ago by closing all NATO supply routes and asking the US to vacate Shamsi airbase, reportedly used by CIA-operated drones to carry out attacks in
the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.
Khar said today that the government decided to boycott the Bonn Conference for the sake of the country's sovereignty.
The sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan cannot be compromised at any cost, she told the media.
Pakistan cannot play an effective role in an environment in which there is no guarantee of its security and sovereignty from its partners, she said.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, December 03, 2011, 19:05