ISLAMABAD, Nov 2: President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday expressed the hope that the forthcoming foreign secretary-level peace dialogue with India would reflect the spirit of talks held between him and the Indian prime minister in Havana.
The president expressed the views during a meeting with visiting Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, who later left for India where his prime minister will also be going.
President Musharraf underscored the need for both Pakistan and India to move forward with sincere intentions, a Foreign Office statement said.
He said that while confidence-building measures had done well, conflict resolution was stalled.
He emphasised that normalisation of relations and resolution of all disputes would be mutually beneficial and both the countries would “gain tremendously” on many fronts.
On the bilateral front, the president stated that Pakistan looked forward to enhanced relations with Belgium in multi-facetted areas. He underlined the need for more market access in Belgium and deepening of the economic content of the relationship, the statement said.
“The Belgian foreign minister informed the president about the discussions he held at various levels since his arrival in Pakistan which inter alai focused on debt swap agreement, cooperation in energy sector involving clean use of coal, food and fruit processing and the idea of a roundtable meeting between the concerned bodies of the two sides for developing research and higher learning as well as technical training,” it said.
Minister De Gucht conveyed his government’s interest in dispatching missions to Pakistan for deliberation on the proposals, which was welcomed by the president.
During the meeting, views were also exchanged on regional stability and security.
Referring to efforts being made by Pakistan in this regard, the president mentioned the latest initiative in the tribal areas with a four-pronged approach that rested on military, political, administrative and development pillars.
