May 6, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 3, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, May 5: Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi welcomed the prospects of resumption of Pakistan-India peace talks when Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri talked to him by telephone on Monday.

A foreign ministry statement said that Mr Kasuri telephoned Mr Kharrazi on Monday afternoon and the two ministers held “a detailed conversation on issues of mutual interest, bilateral relations, latest developments in the aftermath of the war in Iraq and the developments in South Asia”.

Mr Kasuri briefed the Iranian minister about Pakistan’s known position regarding the need to start a dialogue process with India so as to hold meaningful discussions on outstanding issues between the two countries, including Jammu and Kashmir, so that the region could focus on economic and social development, it said.

Mr Kharrazi commended the initiative of the governments of India and Pakistan in this regard and said Iran was very pleased over this development, the statement said.

It also quoted Mr Kharrazi as saying that peace between India and Pakistan was not only in their interest but in the interest of all regional countries.