Islamabad, Nov 13: Pakistan has hailed Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statement in Moscow that India would continue the step-by-step process of normalisation of diplomatic and other links with Pakistan. Pakistan's Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali yesterday said his country also appreciated Vajpayee's remark that it was incorrect to say that India rejected talks with Pakistan, the 'News' today reported.

''India remains committed to discussing all outstanding issues with Pakistan peacefully through bilateral dialogue in accordance with the Shimla agreement and the Lahore Declaration, both of which are bilaterally agreed documents. What we do say is that for any meaningful political dialogue, cross-border terrorism unleashed in Jammu and Kashmir has to stop. Dialogue and terrorism do not go hand in hand,'' Vajpayee had said in an interview to a Russian daily. He said India intended to continue with the step-by-step process of normalisation of diplomatic and other links with Pakistan building on the successes achieved and the support generated so that lasting peace was established.

Bureau Report