LAHORE, April 17: Foreign Minister Khursheed Mahmood Kasuri has reiterated Islamabad's stand that Pakistan and India need to show flexibility rather than stick to the stated positions on Kashmir to settle the issue.
Mr Kasuri was talking to reporters after the All-Pakistan Education Conference organized by the All-Pakistan Private Schools Management Association at a local hotel on Saturday.
He said Pakistan and India should find a practical and sustainable solution acceptable to the Kashmiris.
Answering a question, Mr Kasuri said India had not invited President Gen Pervez Musharraf after the Indian polls. He, however, said the Indo-Pak talks at the foreign secretaries level were being scheduled in the near future while the foreign ministers were expected to meet in July or August.
"We will go with an open mind to make a headway as everybody knows the stated positions of Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue," he said, adding: "the breakthrough is possible only if India shows flexibility."
Answering another question, the foreign minister said Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali would soon be visiting China where he would hold talks with Chinese leaders besides attending an important conference. He said the PM would discuss regional, international and bilateral issues.
Answering another question, the foreign minister said Pakistan had not requested the Commonwealth to restore its membership. He said Pakistan was the second largest member and equally important for the Commonwealth. "It's got to be two-way traffic," he said.
He said that there were two benchmarks to become the Commonwealth member and Pakistan fulfilled both the requirements. And this fact had also been acknowledged by the Common-wealth secretary general.
