ID :
170330
Wed, 03/23/2011 - 16:25
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/170330
The shortlink copeid
Wars not solution, talks only way forward: Gilani
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Mar 23 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani Wednesday said wars are not a solution to the
problems between India and Pakistan and hoped that their
upcoming talks would help reduce the trust deficit and build a
solid foundation for taking the peace process forward.
"Wars are not a solution, talks are the only way
forward between Pakistan and India," Gilani told a visiting
Indian peace delegation led by veteran Indian journalist
Kuldip Nayar.
He said his government would like to continue working
with its Indian counterpart to "resolve all outstanding issues
peacefully in just manner."
Gilani said it was "his earnest hope" that upcoming
talks "would serve to reduce the trust deficit and create a
solid foundation for taking the process forward."
He emphasised the need for an "uninterrupted as well
as uninterruptible dialogue process to focus on contentious
issues and on promotion of trade, economic,
intelligence-sharing, sports and cultural cooperation."
Gilani also called for increased people-to-people
contacts and exchange of parliamentary delegations.
The first priority of the Pakistan People's Party
(PPP) led government is development of the well-being of the
people of Pakistan, for which peace and stability in the
country are critical, he said.
"Pakistan hence wishes to have friendly, cooperative
and good neighbourly relations with India," he said.
Gilani said that "he had personally invested in the
peace process, given his ancestral and family's long-standing
historical contributions to the joint Indian war of liberation
and India-Pakistan friendship."
Gilani's remarks came days ahead of a meeting of the
Home and Interior Secretaries of India and Pakistan in New
Delhi (Capital of India) on March 28 to mark the formal
resumption of the peace process that was stalled in the wake
of the 2008 Mumbai (western city of India) terror
attacks.
The two countries recently agreed to revive the "full
spectrum of dialogue."
The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction at the
resumption of dialogue, noting that the Home and Interior
Secretaries will meet in New Delhi next week to take up
terrorism, drug trafficking and humanitarian issues.
The Indian Commerce Secretary will visit Islamabad
towards the end of April and other segments of the strategic
dialogue are being scheduled to pave the way for a meeting of
the two Foreign Secretaries, followed by the Pakistan Foreign
Minister's visit to New Delhi in July, Gilani said.
However, the Pakistan government is yet to appoint a
Foreign Minister and the Foreign Office is currently under
Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar, who is working under the
Premier's supervision.
Gilani assured the Indian peace delegation that
Pakistan will project the forthcoming talks in a constructive
manner.
Appreciating the contributions of civil society of
both countries in promoting peace, friendship and development
in the region, Gilani said he wanted to benefit from the
wisdom of civil society and peace activists in pursuing
cordial neighbourly ties with India.
He recalled his meetings with his Indian counterpart
Manmohan Singh at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt in 2009 and at
Thimphu in Bhutan in April last year and said he "fully
believed in the sincerity of Singh for the resolution of all
disputes between the two countries through the peace process."
Gilani urged politicians and the media of both
countries to play a positive role in taking the peace process
forward.
The Indian peace delegation agreed with Gilani that
misperceptions and criticism of efforts to promote good
Pakistan-India relations as a "mirage" need to be addressed
through increased people-to-people contacts and parliamentary
exchanges, said a statement issued by the Premier's office.
The members of the Indian delegation also proposed
cooperation between universities and regular exchanges of
artists, journalists, sports teams and members of civil
society to create an atmosphere conducive to pursuing the
peace process.
They assured Gilani that they would continue to bring
the people and governments of the two sides closer.
Among the other members of the Indian delegation were
filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, Vrinda Grover, Jatin Desai, Mazhar
Hussain, Ramesh Yadav, journalist Shahid Siddiqui, Haris
Kidwai and Bharai Modi.
Islamabad, Mar 23 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani Wednesday said wars are not a solution to the
problems between India and Pakistan and hoped that their
upcoming talks would help reduce the trust deficit and build a
solid foundation for taking the peace process forward.
"Wars are not a solution, talks are the only way
forward between Pakistan and India," Gilani told a visiting
Indian peace delegation led by veteran Indian journalist
Kuldip Nayar.
He said his government would like to continue working
with its Indian counterpart to "resolve all outstanding issues
peacefully in just manner."
Gilani said it was "his earnest hope" that upcoming
talks "would serve to reduce the trust deficit and create a
solid foundation for taking the process forward."
He emphasised the need for an "uninterrupted as well
as uninterruptible dialogue process to focus on contentious
issues and on promotion of trade, economic,
intelligence-sharing, sports and cultural cooperation."
Gilani also called for increased people-to-people
contacts and exchange of parliamentary delegations.
The first priority of the Pakistan People's Party
(PPP) led government is development of the well-being of the
people of Pakistan, for which peace and stability in the
country are critical, he said.
"Pakistan hence wishes to have friendly, cooperative
and good neighbourly relations with India," he said.
Gilani said that "he had personally invested in the
peace process, given his ancestral and family's long-standing
historical contributions to the joint Indian war of liberation
and India-Pakistan friendship."
Gilani's remarks came days ahead of a meeting of the
Home and Interior Secretaries of India and Pakistan in New
Delhi (Capital of India) on March 28 to mark the formal
resumption of the peace process that was stalled in the wake
of the 2008 Mumbai (western city of India) terror
attacks.
The two countries recently agreed to revive the "full
spectrum of dialogue."
The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction at the
resumption of dialogue, noting that the Home and Interior
Secretaries will meet in New Delhi next week to take up
terrorism, drug trafficking and humanitarian issues.
The Indian Commerce Secretary will visit Islamabad
towards the end of April and other segments of the strategic
dialogue are being scheduled to pave the way for a meeting of
the two Foreign Secretaries, followed by the Pakistan Foreign
Minister's visit to New Delhi in July, Gilani said.
However, the Pakistan government is yet to appoint a
Foreign Minister and the Foreign Office is currently under
Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar, who is working under the
Premier's supervision.
Gilani assured the Indian peace delegation that
Pakistan will project the forthcoming talks in a constructive
manner.
Appreciating the contributions of civil society of
both countries in promoting peace, friendship and development
in the region, Gilani said he wanted to benefit from the
wisdom of civil society and peace activists in pursuing
cordial neighbourly ties with India.
He recalled his meetings with his Indian counterpart
Manmohan Singh at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt in 2009 and at
Thimphu in Bhutan in April last year and said he "fully
believed in the sincerity of Singh for the resolution of all
disputes between the two countries through the peace process."
Gilani urged politicians and the media of both
countries to play a positive role in taking the peace process
forward.
The Indian peace delegation agreed with Gilani that
misperceptions and criticism of efforts to promote good
Pakistan-India relations as a "mirage" need to be addressed
through increased people-to-people contacts and parliamentary
exchanges, said a statement issued by the Premier's office.
The members of the Indian delegation also proposed
cooperation between universities and regular exchanges of
artists, journalists, sports teams and members of civil
society to create an atmosphere conducive to pursuing the
peace process.
They assured Gilani that they would continue to bring
the people and governments of the two sides closer.
Among the other members of the Indian delegation were
filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, Vrinda Grover, Jatin Desai, Mazhar
Hussain, Ramesh Yadav, journalist Shahid Siddiqui, Haris
Kidwai and Bharai Modi.
