Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Secretary
Salman Bashir on Thursday said he would approach his upcoming
meeting with his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao next week
with an "open mind" as Islamabad wants to normalise its
relations with New Delhi.
During a meeting with visiting US Special
Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke,
Bashir said Islamabad was "looking forward to a meeting with
his counterpart in New Delhi on February 25 with an open
mind".
"Pakistan wanted its relations with India to
normalize. Accordingly, Pakistan would like its engagement
with India to be irreversible and meaningful, leading to the
resolution of all bilateral issues and disputes as provided
for in the composite dialogue," Bashir was quoted as saying in
a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
Peace between Pakistan and India is necessary for
peace and stability in the region as a whole, Bashir added.
Pakistan recently accepted India?s offer for Foreign
Secretary-level talks.
However, the two sides continue to have differences
over the agenda for the upcoming parleys.
India has indicated that it wants to focus on
terrorism while Pakistan has been pushing for the resumption
of the composite dialogue, which has been stalled since the
2008 Mumbai attacks.
Bashir and Holbrooke also discussed issues related to
bilateral relations and the situation in Afghanistan.
They reviewed the state of bilateral relations and
expressed the hope that the first round of the Pakistan-US
Strategic Dialogue at the ministerial level will further
strengthen ties.
The Strategic Dialogue will be held in Washington in
"the near future on mutually convenient dates", the statement
said.
They also said the recent London Conference had
provided "much-needed impetus towards stabilising the
situation" in Afghanistan.
Bashir reiterated Pakistan?s position of assisting "an
Afghanistan-led process of reintegration and reconciliation".
He said it was important to step up international
efforts towards reconstruction and development in Afghanistan.
Peace in Afghanistan was in Pakistan?s strategic
interest and it will continue contributing positively to the
process of bringing about stability in the neighbouring
country, Bashir said.
PTI
