Kasuri hopes
breakthrough in Indian PM’s visit
NEW DELHI—Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri Sunday said that Pakistan was
“eagerly waiting” for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit that could
provide an opportunity to the two sides to move forward on resolving key
issues like Kashmir, Siachen and anti-terrorism mechanism.
The Foreign Minister, who met BJP leader and former external affairs
minister Yashwant Sinha here this morning, said the improvement of
relations between the two sides required bipartisan support in both
countries. “We are eagerly waiting for the Prime Minister’s visit.
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has already visited New Delhi and
now it is Singh’s turn. Whenever there is a high profile visit, the
bureaucracy in both countries works hard to make it a success,” Kasuri
told the newsmen after the meeting.
“All aspects of all issues, which have emphasis in India like Kashmir,
Siachen or the anti-terror mechanism, will come up for discussion and
there will be an earnest effort to find a resolution to all these,” said
the Minister who is on a private trip here to attend the wedding
ceremony of the daughter of Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyer. Kasuri
said, “I also know that the nature of our relations is such that it
would require bipartisan support, both in Pakistan and India. So it has
been my endeavour that I have tried to interact with all parties.”
The Minister further said that it was during the tenure of the Atal
Bihari Vajpayee that both the countries initiated the peace process.
Kasuri, who is accompanied by his wife and Director General (South Asia)
Jalil Abbas Jilani had told the newsmen yesterday, given the political
will Siachen issue between India and Pakistan can be resolved within no
time.
A lot of progress has been made and it requires some meeting,Kasuri
added continuing, given the political will the Siachen problem should be
resolved. Kasuri will meet his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee
tomorrow at a lunch, to be hosted by the latter and hold informal
discussions on the bilateral issues. Pakistan’s foreign minister said
progress had been made in talks with India towards demilitarisation of
Kashmir’s disputed Siachen glacier, but political will was needed to
clinch a final deal. Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, said Pakistan’s position on
the Siachen glacier was clear.
“We understand that there has been a lot of progress. It requires some
meetings and given the political will, it should be resolved,” he said
on Saturday. Kasuri will hold informal talks with Indian Foreign
Minister Pranab Mukherjee over lunch on Monday, the first meeting
between the foreign ministers of the rivals in more than a year.
“I had said that given the political will, it can be resolved in a few
weeks or few days,” he told reporters on his arrival in New Delhi,
according to the Press Trust of India news agency.—Agencies |
