Guwahati, Dec 05: Defence Minister George Fernandes today said the positive direction that efforts at improving Indo-Pak relations has taken should continue and only improve further, while criticising eastern neighbour Bangladesh for not taking action against Ulfa and NDFB extremist camps on its territory. "Talks are the best way to settle disputes and not the battlefield. The positive direction that our efforts at improving Indo-Pak relations has taken should continue without deteriorating, but only improve further," Fernandes said while addressing defence personnel at the Narengi army base here.
Stating that India was making efforts for the fourth time to hold talks with Islamabad, he said", Pakistan was earlier not amenable to India's conditions for talks, but they are slowly come around and Prime Minister A B Vajpayee will go to the SAARC summit in Islamabad where he will meet President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali."
He said "Pakistan offered ceasefire upto the Line of Control, but when we wanted it up to Siachen they promptly agreed. They also agreed to our demand for halt to cross-border terrorism."
"It is a joint effort by both sides to ease tension between the two countries, he said.
Stating talks were also on with Beijing to improve bilateral ties, Fernandes said, he and the Prime Minister had visited China and held serious discussions with the leaders there.
Bureau Report