News
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Indo-Pak FMs to hold talks on July 15
* Qureshi phones Krishna, invites him to Islamabad to work out modalities for talks
* Foreign secretaries to meet on June 26 to finalise agenda for FMs’ meetingStaff Report
NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan would meet in Islamabad on July 15 to work out the modalities for future dialogue, in a bid to bridge the trust deficit between the neighbours.
The decision on the July 15 meeting was made during a 25-minute conversation over the telephone on Tuesday between the foreign ministers. Both have described their upcoming talks as “an important step forward” in bilateral ties.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who had called his Indian counterpart, invited his Indian counterpart, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna – who said he looked forward to the talks.
“The foreign minister of Pakistan has invited me to visit Islamabad on July 15 ... I am planning to visit Islamabad for my talks with Foreign Minister [Shah Mehmood] Qureshi,” Krishna told reporters. “I am looking forward to these talks ... let us hope that the talks would help bring our countries closer ... let us hope our efforts would be fruitful.”
Krishna said Qureshi and he would work out the mechanism to advance dialogue between the two countries to a level that encompasses talks on all outstanding in an atmosphere of “mutual trust”.
Ahead of Krishna’s visit to Islamabad, Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao would travel to the federal capital to meet her Pakistani counterpart, Salman Bashir, on June 26 on the sidelines of a SAARC home ministers’ conference. The two foreign secretaries are expected to finalise the agenda for the meeting between the foreign ministers.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Qureshi said “all issues of concern” could be raised at the July 15 meeting. He said he was optimistic despite an “uphill task.” However, he said, “Don’t expect miracles.”
Qureshi said both sides were democracies that had the ability to resolve matters through dialogue. He said both countries had shown “seriousness” to resolve outstanding issues. “We will not allow ... terror to impede the [peace] process,” he said, adding that all issues that were part of the composite dialogue would be discussed during the meetings.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk