Pakistan, India seek new era in ties

[ABDUL JABBAR KATIAR]

DAWN, 11-11-2011

ADDU (Maldives), Nov 10: Although India and Pakistan publicly expressed their willingness to discuss the core issues bedevilling bilateral relations and their prime ministers spoke of their desire to open a `new chapter` in ties, the former asked the latter to take strict action against Lashkare-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaatud Dawa if it wanted a meaningful dialogue.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh met for about an hour, prior to the opening of the 17th summit of the South AsianAssociation for Regional Cooperation (Saarc).

According to a federal minister who attended the meeting, the Indians categorically told the Pakistani side that it wasn`t possible to move forward until there were some on-ground actions against the two groups.

Otherwise, the minister said there were strong indications that India meant business on a whole lot of issues the two countries needed to thrash out.

They warned that they could not afford another Mumbai-like incident and to stop such terrorist acts Pakistan had no other option but to take care of both the groups, the minister, who didn`t want to be named, said.

A senior official of the Indian foreign ministry said it was unfair if people wereexpecting that the two countries would resolve all their outstanding issues overnight.

`Yes, we are finding common grounds on various issues from where we will move towards tough decisions. First, our main priority is to consolidate whatever achievements the two countries have made so far.

Later, during a brief appearance before the media, the two prime ministers vowed to open a new chapter in bilateral relationship and predicted more constructive and result-oriented talks in the near future.

`The next round of talks will be more positive, more constructive and will open a new chapter in the history of both countries,` Prime Minister Gilani said.

`I can only assure you that I discussed all core issueswith my Indian counterpart, including the core issue of Kashmir, terrorism, Sir Creek, Siachen, water and trade.

The prime minister thanked India for supporting Pakistan in the election to the UN Security Council and to get trade access in the European Union.

Prime Minister Singh was equally friendly and shared the tone and tenor of Mr Gilani.

`We will resume this dialogue with the expectation that all issues which have bedevilled relations between the two countries will be discussed.

`The time has come to write a new chapter in the history of the relationship of the two countries, because we have already wasted lots of time,` he said.

On a personal note, Mr Singh said: `I have always regarded Prime Minister Gilani as a man of peace.

Every time we have met over the past three years, my belief has further strengthened.

He said the destiny of the two countries was interlinked, hence they had no choice but to move forward together.

The discussions between the two countries had yielded positive results, but more needed to be done, the Indian prime minister said.

While the two prime ministers were busy in a one-toone meeting, Interior Minister Rehman Malik told media persons that a Pakistani judicial commission would soon visit India to investigate the Mumbai attacks.