G-8 welcomes resumption of India, Pakistan talks

V S Chandrasekar
Toronto, Jun 27 (PTI) Welcoming the resumption of
dialogue between India and Pakistan, the G-8 countries on
Sunday appealed to all nations in the region to work together
"actively" in the interests of regional peace and stability.
"We welcome and encourage the recent steps taken by
the Governments of Pakistan and India to advance their
bilateral relationship, and urge all countries of the region
to work together actively in the interests of regional peace
and stability," a joint declaration issued by G-8 countries
said.
India and Pakistan had in April decided to resume
dialogue at the Foreign Secretaries and Foreign Ministers
level to bridge the trust deficit between the two countries.
India had put the Composite Dialogue process with Pakistan on
hold after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan had met in
Islamabad on Thursday and prepared ground for the Foreign
Ministers' meeting there on July 15.
Home Ministers of India and Pakistan also met in the
Pakistani capital Saturday, during which New Delhi pressed
for prosecution of more people involved in the Mumbai terror
attacks.
The US and UK have been encouraging the two South
Asian countries to resume dialogue, but have publicly made it
clear their stand not to interfere.
The US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and
Russia are members of the G8.
In the declaration after two-days of deliberations,
the leaders of the Group of Eight developed countries, also
welcomed and encouraged Pakistan's efforts to root out
"violent extremists, especially in its border areas with
Afghanistan."
"We welcome and encourage Pakistan's ongoing efforts
to root out violent extremists, especially in its border areas
with Afghanistan," the declaration said.
"We underscore the need for a broad regional approach
to countering violent extremism. It is essential that Pakistan
be supported by the international community as it addresses
its political, economic and social reforms," it said.
The declaration also said progress is being made, in
association with multilateral donors, on two key projects
under the G-8 Afghanistan Pakistan Border Region Prosperity
Initiative: a Peshawar-Jalalabad expressway and a feasibility
study for a Peshawar-Jalalabad rail link.
It said the G-8 countries were confident that these
projects and others – realised with the efforts of the
Governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan -- will deliver
tangible benefits to the Afghan and Pakistani people and help
to foster regional stability. PTI ETB
RBT



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