As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets President Asif Ali Zardari in Russia, premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has sought early resumption of the stalled dialogue process between India and Pakistan to address long-standing issues like Kashmir.
Gilani said the early resumption of the composite dialogue between Pakistan and India is "imperative to address the long-standing issues resulting in tension between the two countries i.e. Kashmir dispute as well as the water dispute".
He was speaking to a delegation led by Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs secretary general Paolo Cotta-Ramsunio that called on him yesterday.
Gilani assured the delegation of his "government's sincerity in proceeding with the dialogue process and for maintaining cordial bilateral relations with all its neighbours including India".
Zardari and Singh met today on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Russia.
Gilani also said the international community should fulfil its pledges of assistance to Pakistan in its efforts to assist the people displaced by the military operations against the Taliban in Swat and other areas of Malakand division.
"The most sensible thing to do now would be to resume dialogue as soon as possible. It is in our mutual interest. Both countries stand to gain by resumption of dialogue. Pakistan feels it is an useful exercise," Pakistan Foreign
Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who came out in the middle of the meeting between the two leaders, told reporters in Yekaterinburg.
"We made progress (through Composite Dialogue). It was slow but steady. The people of South Asia would stand to gain
from it," he said. Qureshi said Pakistan itself was a "victim of terrorism" and that the menace was not country-specific. "We are victims of terrorism, but as a nation we have decided to act in a decisive manner and there has been lot of dislocation," he said, apparently referring to the situation in Pakistan's restive Swat valley.
Qureshi said all countries agree that terrorism has to be condemned and fought "from wherever it emanates... India,
Pakistan, UK and America."
Asked what will Singh and Zardari discuss, Qureshi said: "When we sit and discuss, whatever issues of mutual concern are there they will come up." On Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's comments that Kashmir is the core issue between India and Pakistan, Qureshi said: "As you know it is one of the segments of the Composite Dialogue. It is an outstanding issue. Both countries recognise it as such."
On JuD chief Hafeez Mohammed Saeed's release, he said: "Courts in Pakistan are independent like in India. We have to
respect their independence." Asked whether Pakistan will appeal against the Lahore High Court's order releasing Saeed, suspected to be behind the Mumbai attacks, from detention, Qureshi said: "The right to appeal exists and the provincial government is contemplating it."
On the status of the five people arrested in connection with the Mumbai terror attacks, Qureshi said: "It was for the internal ministry to respond." On whether he thought India and Pakistan should make joint efforts to bring peace in Afghanistan, Qureshi said: "There has to be a regional approach. All regional players can contribute and should contribute." "We are here discussing problems related to India. If there is a need to discuss Afghanistan... we will."
