Islamabad: Seeking "sustainable and result- oriented" talks with India, Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani today said he had "great regard" for his counterpart
Manmohan Singh who is a "sincere person" desirous of friendly and cooperative bilateral ties.
Gilani made the remarks at a reception he hosted for visiting Indian parliamentary delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.
Pakistan is a peace loving country that wants good relations with all its neighbours, including India, he said.
The premier said it was his cherished desire to have a constructive – sustainable and result-oriented dialogue with India, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on its website.
Such a dialogue will usher in development and prosperity in the region, he added.
Gilani noted that the first round of the resumed dialogue between India and Pakistan was held last year and expressed the hope that the second round of talks this year would "bear
fruits".
He said he had "great regard" for his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, who accepted his initiative for dialogue.
Kumar, who is the first Speaker of Indian Parliament to visit Pakistan, said India wished to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Pakistan.
"There was consensus in the Indian Parliament on building a relationship of trust and mutually beneficial co-operation between India and Pakistan in an atmosphere free of terror and violence," a statement issued by her office said.
It added that Gilani, while recalling his meetings with Singh, said he regarded Singh as a sincere person who desired friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 21:40