News
Friday, July 29, 2011
World welcomes resumption of Indo-Pak talks* US says it believes talks are constructive for both nations as well as region
WASHINGTON/Beijing/Islamabad: International community on Thursday welcomed resumption of talks between the India and Pakistan.
Commenting on parleys between the two South Asian nuclear powers, who have had strained relations since their independence in 1947, the US State Department said on Thursday that US believed that Pakistan-India dialogue was always a positive and constructive step for both the nations as well as the South Asian region.
Deputy spokesman Mark Toner, commenting on Wednesday’s meetings, said, ‘It is always a productive or constructive in our view to see the two countries talking.”
“And it’s constructive for the region, it is constructive for both these countries,” he said, after Pakistan’s new Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna pledged to begin a new era in ties, often marked by acrimony in the past. Toner was not “aware of what came out of the meeting specifically,” but said, “We always view that kind of dialogue as constructive.”
The spokesman, when asked about Washington’s influence in the resumption of talks between the two countries, said he was “not aware of any direct or indirect role.”
A comprehensive peace process between Pakistan and India broke down in the wake of November 2008 Mumbai attacks, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants. Now Islamabad and New Delhi are trying to get the process back on track through cooperative initiatives as well as pledges to tackle outstanding disputes, including Kashmir.
The United States has had a high-stakes engagement in the region for over a decade now, developing bilateral relations with both Pakistan and India in South Asia. Washington is currently working to wind up a decade-old, costly, anti-militant war in Afghanistan, which was a sanctuary for al Qaeda militants allegedly responsible for 9/11 attacks.
Commenting on talks between India and Pakistan in New Delhi, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said that Canada welcomed the expanded engagement between Pakistan and India.
According to a press release issued by the Canadian Embassy on Thursday, the minister said Canada welcomed the resumption of dialogue between the foreign ministers of the two countries in New Delhi on July 27.
He said, “We view the decisions taken to increase trade, movement of people across the Line of Control in Kashmir, develop new confidence-building measures aimed at reducing tensions in the region as positive steps.”
Canada is also encouraged by an agreement to pursue dialogue at the ministerial level in 2012 in Islamabad, it added.
China, on Thursday, while welcoming dialogue between the Pakistani and Indian foreign ministers said, “We have noticed positive results being achieved as a result of meeting between the two foreign ministers.” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and her Indian counterpart SM Krishna reviewed the progress on all issues during their meeting in the Indian capital New Delhi on Wednesday.
“Both the foreign ministers have decided to continue the dialogue punctuated by efforts to make it result oriented,” said Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tehmina Janjua, in an interview with Radio Pakistan. “We have noticed the achievement of positive results at a meeting between the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India. We welcome the results,” spokesman of Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a written statement to APP.
“Pakistan and India are both important countries in South Asia,” he added. “The improved relationship between Pakistan and India plays a critical role in maintaining region’s peace, stability and development,” the spokesman observed. “As a neighbour to both the countries, China will continue its support to Pakistan and India for the settlement of disputes through dialogue and cooperation,” the spokesman concluded. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk