December 17, 2002	Tuesday	Shawwal 12, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 16: As US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca started talks with foreign ministry officials on Monday, a spokesman for the ministry indicated that there were no signs of an early resumption of dialogue with India.

At a press briefing, Foreign Office spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan, however, renewed Islamabad’s call to New Delhi to come forward and respond positively to Pakistan’s desire for good relations.

Alluding to Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali’s statement on Sunday, the spokesman regretted that for the past few months a predominant negative attitude of India towards Pakistan had been noticeable.

New Delhi had spurned Islamabad’s all efforts and proposals intended to resolve all outstanding issues, little realizing the futility of such an approach towards its neighbour. The spokesman, however, expressed the hope that one day good sense would prevail and India would resume talks with Pakistan.

The spokesman said that Ms Rocca, who looks after the South Asia desk in the State Department, had had wide-ranging bilateral talks with Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar besides calling on Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri. The talks also covered regional situation.

The spokesman described Ms Rocca’s visit as part of frequent exchanges between the two countries. She was due to meet Interior Ministry officials on Tuesday and present “some equipment” and “material” to them.

A press release issued by the foreign office in the wake of Rocca-Kasuri talks said that Pakistan-US relations were reviewed in depth and both sides had expressed satisfaction over the ongoing collaboration. “The situation in the region, Saarc and Afghanistan were also discussed,” according to the release.