ID :
156316
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 10:26
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/156316
The shortlink copeid
India looking forward to Pak Foreign Minister`s visit
New Delhi, Jan 7 (PTI) India is expecting Pakistan
Foreign Minister S M Qureshi to be here in the next couple of
months, before which the foreign secretaries of the two
countries will meet to "clear the ground for a very productive
meeting" between the two foreign ministers.
India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said, "The
indication given to me by Qureshi was that sometime in the
first quarter of 2011, he would be visiting Delhi and we are
looking forward to it."
He said before Qureshi's visit "two foreign secretaries
will meet and clear the ground for a very productive meeting
at the level of foreign ministers."
Krishna rejected a contention that his previous meeting
with Qureshi in Islamabad failed due to lack of proper ground
work done by the officials in the two countries.
He recalled that at the time of his meeting with Qureshi
in July last year, there were interactions between the foreign
secretaries of two countries.
He said that India was in touch with the government of
Pakistan on the issue of exporting onions. "We have initiated
talks and before not too long we are hopeful that we will find
solution to this.....," he said.
Asked about the agenda for the meeting, the minister
said the country would like to engage Pakistan to sort out
outstanding issues.
"We would like to engage Pakistan in a dialogue and
there is no alternative other than talking to Pakistan and
keeping them engaged thereby sorting out outstanding issues,"
he said.
Asked about the reported confession by Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh leader Aseemanand on his role in the
Samjhauta Express train blast in 2007 and if India will convey
it to Pakistan, he said, "All such issues are taken up with
respective governments and his ministry will certainly do so".
Giving a round-up of the foreign ministry for 2010, he
said international terrorism has been a core foreign policy
concern for India for some time now.
"We have been victims of vicious kind of cross-border
terror for well over two decades," he said.
Apparently referring to Pakistan's intelligence agency
Inter-Services Intelligence, he said terrorism is being backed
by official agencies and is being used continuously against
the country as a political and economical weapon. PTI
Foreign Minister S M Qureshi to be here in the next couple of
months, before which the foreign secretaries of the two
countries will meet to "clear the ground for a very productive
meeting" between the two foreign ministers.
India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said, "The
indication given to me by Qureshi was that sometime in the
first quarter of 2011, he would be visiting Delhi and we are
looking forward to it."
He said before Qureshi's visit "two foreign secretaries
will meet and clear the ground for a very productive meeting
at the level of foreign ministers."
Krishna rejected a contention that his previous meeting
with Qureshi in Islamabad failed due to lack of proper ground
work done by the officials in the two countries.
He recalled that at the time of his meeting with Qureshi
in July last year, there were interactions between the foreign
secretaries of two countries.
He said that India was in touch with the government of
Pakistan on the issue of exporting onions. "We have initiated
talks and before not too long we are hopeful that we will find
solution to this.....," he said.
Asked about the agenda for the meeting, the minister
said the country would like to engage Pakistan to sort out
outstanding issues.
"We would like to engage Pakistan in a dialogue and
there is no alternative other than talking to Pakistan and
keeping them engaged thereby sorting out outstanding issues,"
he said.
Asked about the reported confession by Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh leader Aseemanand on his role in the
Samjhauta Express train blast in 2007 and if India will convey
it to Pakistan, he said, "All such issues are taken up with
respective governments and his ministry will certainly do so".
Giving a round-up of the foreign ministry for 2010, he
said international terrorism has been a core foreign policy
concern for India for some time now.
"We have been victims of vicious kind of cross-border
terror for well over two decades," he said.
Apparently referring to Pakistan's intelligence agency
Inter-Services Intelligence, he said terrorism is being backed
by official agencies and is being used continuously against
the country as a political and economical weapon. PTI
