Linking talks with countering terror not right: Pakistan
March 5th, 2010 - 9:51 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, March 5 (IANS) Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Friday Pakistan had gone to foreign secretary-level talks in India with an open mind but it was not right that New Delhi should link the talks with action against terrorism.
Talking to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the PM’s House here, Gilani said Pakistan wants early restoration of the composite dialogue, adding that the Indian attitude had disappointed Pakistan, Online news agency reported.
He said Pakistan wanted friendly relations with all countries of the region, including India, on the basis of equality. He also termed peace in Afghanistan important for the entire region.
The prime minister said Pakistan would continue to play its effective role for peace and stability in the region.
On his part, Qureshi briefed the prime minister on the outcome of the Feb 25 talks in New Delhi between the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India while issues pertaining to this country’s foreign policy were also discussed during the meeting.
Gilani’s comments came on the day his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh, ruled out any third-party mediation in bilateral issues, saying dialogue was the only way forward with Islamabad but there could be no meaningful discussion till an end was put to terror from Pakistani soil.
Addressing the Indian parliament in New Delhi, Manmohan Singh also said the government’s decision to hold the foreign secretary-level talks was a “calculated” one and stressed that India’s “policy towards Pakistan is consistent, cautious and realistic”.
The prime minister denied that he had sought any mediation by Saudi Arabia, and underlined that all problems with Pakistan could be resolved bilaterally if it adopted a “reasonable” attitude in dealing with terror elements targeting India.
“Whatever our problems in South Asia, we must learn to talk to each other,” Manmohan Singh said. He was replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to President Pratibha Patil’s address to both houses of parliament.
“Dialogue is the only way forward,” the prime minister said, adding that Pakistan must act against terror for a meaningful dialogue to progress.
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Tags: bilateral issues, composite dialogue, foreign minister, gilani, indian counterpart, indian parliament, manmohan, manmohan singh, mehmood, New Delhi, news agency, pakistan islamabad, party mediation, peace and stability, qureshi, raza, saudi arabia, secretaries, South Asia, yousuf