Pak and India should overcome 'war phobia',

Islamabad (PTI) - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani Friday said that Pakistan and India should
overcome "war phobia" to address their outstanding issues as a
"third power" cannot come and do it for them.
"We need to give attention to the poor people of the
two countries and that can happen when the war phobia ends,"
Gilani said while speaking in the Senate or upper house of
parliament on his meeting with his Indian counterpart Manmohan
Singh on the margins of the cricket World cup semi-final at
Mohali on Wednesday.
"We need to work together to resolve our real issues.
We should look after the poor masses of both the countries and
we both have agreed that, yes, this is the problem," Gilani
said, referring to his talks with Singh.
Addressing critics of his government who have claimed
that the premier did not raise the Kashmir issue with Singh,
Gilani said: "The outstanding and the core issue is Kashmir.
So what other issue can you talk about? We discussed all
issues and we agreed that we have to take ownership (of our
problems). If we do not resolve our issues by ourselves, then
a third power cannot come and do it."
Taking ownership of outstanding issues will help
Pakistan and India to address the problems of the people of
both countries, including poverty, hunger, disease,
unemployment, law and order and food security, he said.
Gilani said Singh had told him that India is ready to
hold talks on every issue.
"Their gesture of sending an invitation (to watch the
World cup semi-final was aimed at creating) goodwill in both
countries," he added.
Gilani recounted the warmth he had encountered in
Mohali, saying he had seen the involvement of the Indian
public in all aspects of the visit.
"Before they thought that there was a war but this
time that environment was not there... At the stadium, when we
waved the whole crowd stood up and when we were coming back,
people on both sides of the road greeted us.
"It was not that we lost and we had to leave
secretly," he said.
Gilani described the semi-final match, in which India
defeated Pakistan by 29 runs, as a victory for cricket.
"This was not a defeat for anyone. This is the victory
of the game of cricket and this is the victory of the people
of both the countries," he said.
He said, "We should take this in a sportsman's spirit
and we must encourage our youth and sportsmen," he said.