Singh likely to visit Pakistan next year: 'Sonia can help normalize ties'
By Jawed Naqvi
NEW DELHI, Nov 27: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday that he agreed with President Gen Pervez Musharraf's view that the ruling coalition's leader Sonia Gandhi could play a key role in bringing the two countries together.
Dr Singh, who met reporters at the Presidential Palace after a cabinet shuffle, also said he expected to visit Pakistan next year.
He said he agreed with Gen Musharraf's comments to Kolkata's The Telegraph newspaper on Wednesday that if Ms Gandhi took a lead and played an important role, there would be a breakthrough in India-Pakistan ties.
"Definitely yes. She is the Congress president and the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance," Dr Singh said, commenting on Gen Musharraf's remarks.
The premier said he had accepted an invitation to go to Pakistan and he might do so sometime next year. "I have the invitation to visit Pakistan and I have accepted it," he said. Asked when he planned to go there, he said: "Let me see, next year".
He declined to comment on a question pertaining Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's statement that without progress on finding a solution to the Kashmir issue, Islamabad could not accord the Most Favoured Nation status to India.
In his interview, Gen Musharraf said: "Sonia Gandhi has a unique position in India. She is highly respected and holds an important position. If she takes a lead, I am confident that there will be a breakthrough in Indo-Pak ties."
"The good thing is that, strictly speaking, she is not in the government. So she can work it out in a more informal way," he added.
He said the Indian leadership must take a step forward to accelerate the peace process. "I know a dispute of this nature cannot be resolved quickly. But all that I am saying is that please make efforts, start a debate within your country, explore options.
"I am ready to negotiate. Let us start talking, let us meet. I am ready. Let us work out a timetable. I am prepared to meet in four days' notice."
