November 3, 2003	Monday	Ramazan 7, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 2: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri has said Pakistan wants meaningful dialogue with India on all issues, including the core issue of Kashmir.

In an interview to BBC TV he said: “We fought three wars not because we wish to resume air flights, trains and to upgrade those relations. In fact they all existed, they were downgraded only as a result of tension and war.”

“Pakistan was disappointed when they said they were going to come forward with peace proposals and left out the main issue,” he said and added “the main issue was Kashmir, the Indians knew the fact that Kashmir is an international dispute and the UN Security Council resolutions are on it.” Mr Kasuri said: “Pakistan wish is that we could concentrate on more substantial issue.”

“We need to work out a mechanism which is acceptable to both India and Pakistan,” he said. It would also be helpful for the people who are living on both sides of Kashmir, he added

Replying to a question, he said Pakistan “is quite prepared” to talk with India bilaterally to resolve all outstanding issues including the core issue of Kashmir, but India refused to talk with Pakistan. The foreign minister said: “If India do not talk bilaterally, then Pakistan will have to raise the Kashmir issue at multilateral fora.”

Responding to a question about the Confidence Building Measures announced by India, he said: “Confidence building measures do help but, we must not lose sight of the fact that Pakistan and India fought three major wars on the issue of Kashmir.”—APP