ISLAMABAD Jan 13: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Saturday said that Pakistan was keen to expedite the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project to meet growing energy requirements of both India and Pakistan and to create linkages and interdependence to promote peace in the region.

The prime minister said this while talking to Indian Minister for External Affairs, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, who called on him at the PM House on Saturday.

The prime minister said that South Asia was at the cusp of economic take-off and it could become a major force in the world once it was able to resolve bilateral disputes.

Mr Aziz said that peace between Pakistan and India should not become hostage to incidents beyond the control of the two countries.

Reciprocating, Mr Mukherjee said that India was also keen to resolve all issues with Pakistan to establish good neighbourly relations.

He said he agreed with the prime minister that the peace process between the two countries should not be allowed to become hostage to stray incidents of terrorism.

Mr Aziz said Pakistan was keen to peacefully settle all its disputes with India, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, so that both countries could progress and prosper in an atmosphere of peace and amity.

He said Pakistan was of the view that a lasting peace in the South Asia could only be achieved after the resolution of the Kashmir dispute which must include the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people, and be acceptable to both Pakistan and India.

The prime minister said Islamabad was committed to the on-going process of the composite dialogue which needed to be made more meaningful and result-oriented.

He said Pakistan was also committed to Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) which had helped improve ties between the two countries.

Mr Aziz said Islamabad was also committed to the objectives of Saarc, including Safta, to promote economic cooperation in South Asia but “our vision will remain unfulfilled unless the Organisation is energized and made effective to exploit the full potential of its member states.”

He said Pakistan expected India to address its trade regime with Pakistan with a view to providing a level playing field by removing hurdles such as non-tariff barriers.

The prime minister said that it was encouraging that the trust deficit between the two countries was reducing, and they were moving in the right direction.

He said both Pakistan and India needed to observe the Indus Basin Treaty in letter and spirit so that new projects were strictly in the purview of the treaty.

The Indian external affairs minister said he was happy to visit Pakistan.

He handed over Mr Aziz a letter of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, inviting the former to attend Saarc summit being held in New Delhi on April 3-4, 2007.

The prime minister accepted the invitation of the Indian PM, and reiterated his invitation to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit Pakistan.