Pak wants good, neighbourly relations with India: Gilani

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Jun 20 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani has said that his government wants good
neighbourly relations with India and the peaceful resolution
of all outstanding issues between the two countries, including
the Kashmir issue.
Gilani made the remarks during a meeting with visiting
US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard
Holbrooke on Saturday.
Referring to the upcoming visits to Pakistan by
Indian Foreign Secretary, Home Minister and External Affairs
Minister, Gilani reaffirmed Islamabad's "keen desire to have
good neighbourly relations with India through peaceful
resolution of all outstanding issues between the two
countries, including the core issue of Kashmir (and) the water
dispute".
According to an official statement, Gilani said
Pakistan had "all along strived for restoration of the
composite dialogue with India in the larger interest of peace
in this region and the world at large".
Holbrooke welcomed the restoration of dialogue between
Pakistan and India and said the US would watch the forthcoming
meetings between the two countries "with a sense of
anticipation".
He agreed with Gilani that Pakistan and the US should
coordinate their positions and help the Afghanistan government
in its peace process.
Gilani also said public support for the war on terror
is vitally important and it can only be kept intact if the
world community, particularly donor countries, start
delivering on their pledges to help Pakistan provide relief to
the people and to undertake infrastructure and social sector
projects in militancy-hit areas.
While time was fast running out for the government's
rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in areas cleared of
militants, the aid committed at the Tokyo Donors Conference
held over a year ago is yet to be delivered by donor
countries, he said.
This delay had accentuated the economic and energy
crisis in Pakistan and extremist elements were taking
advantage of that situation, Gilani said.
Holbrooke also met President Asif Ali Zardari and the
two leaders discussed bilateral ties, the security situation
in the region, the shared terrorist threat, the US-Pakistan
Strategic Dialogue, reimbursements by US from the Coalition
Support Fund and strengthening of Pakistan's law enforcing
agencies.
Zardari said militancy and terrorism is the common
enemy and the existing cooperation between the two countries
must continue to fight the menace.
Pakistan valued a long-term, multifaceted and durable
relationship with the US and no isolated incident should be
able to adversely impact on this relationship, he added.
He also emphasised on early reimbursement of arrears
from the CSF of over USD 1.5 billion which was rising every
month. PTI RHL
MYR