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| 25 August 2004 | Wednesday | 08 Rajab 1425 |
Talks should move to logical end: FO
ISLAMABAD, Aug 24: Pakistan on Tuesday asked India not to have second thoughts about the composite dialogue it was holding with Pakistan to resolve contentious issues, including Kashmir
, and urged the Indian leadership to move forward and take talks to their logical end.
At his weekly press briefing here on Tuesday, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said that a recent resolution of the ruling All-India Congress Committee (AICC) on the composite dialogue process was regrettable.
He said the AICC should not have second thoughts on the talks process which, he said, was in the interest of the people of Kashmir and the international community. "The Indian leaders should change their mindset and adjust to realities," Mr Khan said.
"Let's take talks to logical end and should not muddy waters before a meeting of foreign ministers of the two countries." About the so-called infiltration in occupied Kashmir, he said the allegation was baseless, adding that the era of cold war was over and both countries should now concentrate on resolving all outstanding issues, including Kashmir.
In reply to a question, the spokesman said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Indian Congress President Madam Sonia Gandhi had demonstrated good faith and pledged to continue the composite dialogue process which was a wise decision and in the interest of South Asia.
"Higher goals are at stake. Let's give a signal that we are committed to confidence-building, result-oriented dialogue, conflict resolution and durable peace between the two counties and (in) the region," the spokesman said.
Mr Khan dismissed Indian foreign ministry's annual report on cross-border terrorism and described it as a propaganda document which, he said, lacked credibility and sought to distort facts about incidents of violence against people in occupied Kashmir.
The spokesman deeply appreciated an assessment of European Union's human rights' group after a recent visit to occupied Kashmir, and described it as absolutely objective and fair.
He hoped that involvement of EU may open a new window for engaging Pakistan and India for further meaningful dialogue to resolve the outstanding issue of Kashmir according to the aspirations of Kashmiri people.
He said Pakistan regarded as highly appreciable the objective report of the EU parliamentary group against brutal incidents of violations of human rights by Indian occupation forces in occupied Kashmir.
AFGHANISTAN: In reply to a question about Afghanistan, Mr Khan said that Kabul had demanded the release of some 250 Afghans detained in Pakistan in return for about 400 Pakistanis detained in Afghan prisons.
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