Frequent Indo-Pak exchanges will help obviate mistrust

Islamabad (PTI) - President Asif Ali Zardari
Thursday said dialogue between Pakistan and India is the only
way forward to address all outstanding issues and regular
interaction will provide a "solid platform" to reduce
misperceptions and mistrust.
Zardari also described the meeting between Pakistan
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the Indian leadership as
"a positive development" for the region.
Zardari made the remarks during a meeting with Gilani,
who briefed the President on his meeting with Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the cricket World
Cup semi-final at Mohali.
Regular interaction at all levels will provide
Pakistan and India a "solid platform to resolve mutual issues"
and "help obviate and reduce misperceptions and mistrust",
Zardari said.
The two countries need to resolve all issues so that
they can concentrate on the welfare of their people by
addressing problems like hunger, disease and poor
infrastructure, he said.
Gilani informed Zardari about his discussions with
Singh and Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi and also the talks
between the Home and Interior Secretaries of the two countries
in New Delhi earlier this week.
The two countries agreed during the Secretary-level
talks to set up a hotline to exchange information on terrorist
threats and to work on a mechanism to release people who
inadvertently cross the land or maritime boundaries.
Zardari expressed satisfaction over the resumption of
talks with India and welcomed the meeting of the Pakistani
Prime Minister with the Indian leadership, describing it as "a
positive development" for the region.
The President expressed the hope that these meetings
will provide further impetus to efforts for a meaningful
dialogue between the two countries on all outstanding issues.
He also appreciated Singh's decision to invite the
Pakistani leadership to visit India.
Gilani informed the President that he had invited
Singh and Sonia Gandhi to visit Pakistan.
Zardari hoped such visits and the resumption of talks
will serve as an important confidence-building measure.
Zardari greeted the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams
for a good game in the World Cup semi-final and said winning
or losing a match was not really important.
"It was the sportsman spirit and effort of our boys in
the field, and the fact that the event provided an opportunity
for the leadership to meet and entertainment to the people
that was so important and appreciable," he said.
India defeated Pakistan in the thrilling semi-final to
advance to the final of the World Cup.