Indo-Pak keen on enhancing bilateral relationship

NI Wire

New Delhi

Sat, 28 Jun 2008: 

India and Pakistan committed on Friday to strengthen mutual bilateral relations in all specific areas and announced the fifth round of the composite dialogue to be held on July 21-22 with the focus on peace and security and border issues in Jammu & Kashmir.

The decision was made public after meeting the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was in New Delhi on a three-day official visit.

But the minister had to cut down his visit and return to Pakistan late on Friday night after he heard his mother-in-law was expired.

While the two foreign ministers would sit together on July 21-22, the experts from both countries would meet on July 10 to take stock of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) across the LoC discussed in the previous meetings.

“The Climate was conducive for strengthening bilateral ties and resolving age-old dispute by dialogue,” observed the two foreign ministers during his address to a joint press conference. The two sides also agreed to maintain and enhance peace, friendship and harmonious relations particularly through augmenting of mutual cooperation in economic and trade sectors and people-to-people contacts.

Their discussions took around a wide range of issues comprising Kashmir, trade, infrastructure projects, mobility of more trains, interaction on anti-terrorism issues, liberalisation of visas and IPI gas pipeline among others. While Mr. Mukherjee stressed on the issue of combating terror unambiguously, the issue of disputes over Sir Creek and Siachen reflected in the note of Pakistani foreign minister. The two leaders felt that the quick resolution of the outstanding issues will have positive impact on South Asian nations.

Islamabad stressed on New Delhi to deal Kashmir issue seriously, the latter reminded the former of its commitment on terrorism. ''No matter what our political differences, we have to fight terror unambiguously,'' said Mukherjee. On the contrary, Qureshi said the issue of peace and security in Jammu and Kashmir will be focussed in the forthcoming meetings.

We are blessed with the unique opportunity conducive for us as all major political players in both countries are in support of establishing normalisation–whether it is the ruling Congress and Pakistan People’s Party, or the chief opposition BJP and major Opposition parties in Pakistan. “We should avail this opportunity as there is virtual consensus on normalisation,” said Qureshi.

“A positive movement will give confidence and revitalise the faith of the people in the process. The people will support this positive movement,” he added.

The IPI gas pipeline project was also at the core of the discussion. Viewing the soaring energy price, Qureshi said that New Delhi had not enough time to delay the project. ''We don't have luxury of time to discuss anymore, have to move quickly,'' said Qureshi.

Both the leaders hoped the fifth round of discussions would be crucial and reward fetching.