Krishna to invite Pak Foreign Minister to India

Sreeparna C Mukhuty

On Board Special Aircraft, May 13 (PTI) Indian
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna will invite his
Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi to India during his
visit to Islamabad in July as part of efforts to reduce the
"trust deficit" between the two neighbours.

"I certainly would be extending an invitation to
Pakistani Foreign Minister to visit India," Krishna told
reporters on his way back from a two-day visit to Kazakhstan.
"...These high-level visits will only act as some kind
of a panacea to reduce the trust deficit and we can talk to
each other with more confidence and that certainly will create
the right kind of atmosphere for very productive talks," he
said.
Krishna said the Prime Ministers of the two countries
had met in Thimpu last month on the sidelines of the SAARC
summit and felt that steps were needed to address the trust
deficit between the two countries.
"...So Foreign Minister Qureshi's telephonic talk to
me was in pursuance to address the trust deficit," he said
referring to his 25-minute conversation on May 11 with the
Pakistani Minister during which it was decided that the two
ministers will meet in Islamabad on July 15.
Asked about his expectations from the talks with
Pakistan, he said, "Let me not speculate on what we expect
Pakistan to do or what Pakistan expects India to do.
"I think the very fact the Foreign Minister is going
to Pakistan is an indication that we would like to have
friendly relationship with Pakistan".
Krishna also said that during his visit to the United
States next month, he would take up the issue of extradition
of Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley to India.
"We have an extradition treaty with United States and
Headley, with whatever evidence we have gathered, is a kingpin
of the Mumbai terror attacks. So this question will be taken
up with the US," he said. PTI SPC
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