News
Friday, November 11, 2011
Pakistan, India vow to open ‘new chapter’* Indian PM says next round of talks should be far more practical-orientated and productive
* Says two sides should stop wasting time trading barbs
* Gilani says ‘all issues’ including Kashmir discussed
* Khar says next round of talks by month-end
ADDU: The prime ministers of India and Pakistan said on Thursday they expected to open a “new chapter” at future talks between the rival nations after they met at a regional summit in the Maldives.
India’s Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani said their often-strained ties were improving, but they declined to give a date for their next meeting. “The time has come to write a new chapter in the history of our countries,” Singh told reporters. “The next round of talks should be far more productive and far more practical-orientated in bringing the two countries closer.” The Indian premier said both the countries needed to stop wasting time trading barbs and open a new chapter in their relationship.
Gilani said that “all issues” had been discussed during their one-hour meeting including the contentious subject of Kashmir. “I am ready to discuss each and every issue,” Gilani said. “I think that the next round of the talks would be more constructive, more positive, and will open a new chapter in the history of both the countries.”
The leaders did not give further details of their discussions on the sidelines of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) gathering in the Maldives. However, Singh added that the two sides should push to make real progress as they had “wasted lot of time in the past in acrimonious debates”.
The two men emphasised their warm friendship and shook hands twice to oblige photographers at the start of closed-door talks at the luxury Shangri-La Villingili island resort. “The next round of talks will be more positive, more constructive and will open a new chapter in the history of both countries,” Gilani told reporters after the meeting with Singh on the sidelines of a summit of South Asian leaders. “I can only assure you that I discussed all core issues.” Foreign Minster Hina Rabbani Khar told Reuters that the next round of talks would begin by the end of this month.
After the meeting, the two men headed for the opening of the SAARC summit, where their host, Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, hailed their dialogue. “These developments are extremely welcome,” he said. “I hope this summit will be enthused with optimism.” The two prime ministers last met in March when Gilani accepted Singh’s invitation to watch the India-Pakistan cricket World Cup semi-final. agencies.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk