NEW DELHI, Nov 24: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had 90 minutes of substantive talks with his Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh here on Wednesday during which the two leaders reiterated their commitment to carry forward the dialogue process and resolve all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir.
"The talks were marked by frankness, clarity and we stated our positions without ambiguity," was how Prime Minister Aziz characterized his talks with the Indian leadership.
He said the Indian prime minister's body language reflected 'a lot of sincerity'. The talks were divided in three sessions: one-to-one, restricted-level and delegation-level.
The one-to-one round lasted 15 minutes. At the 30-minute restricted-level talks their ministers for foreign affairs, petroleum and commerce as well as foreign secretaries were also present. Other ministers and high commissioners from both sides took part in the delegation-level session.
The talks covered a whole gamut of bilateral and regional issues, including Kashmir, Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, Baglihar dam, gas pipeline project and Saarc. During the one-to-one session, Mr Aziz also shared with Dr Singh Pakistan's concerns about his recent statement that Kashmir was an integral part of India and that there would be no redrawing of boundaries. It was conveyed to him that it took two to tango.
Mr Aziz made it clear that while Pakistan favoured the proposed Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, it would not accept a mechanism that would change the status of the Line of Control into a permanent border. His reference was to India's insistence that passports and visas should be used by Kashmiris travelling across the LoC.
Welcoming Prime Minister Aziz, the Indian leader said: "A strong, stable Pakistan is in our interest and in the interest of the region." Thanking the Indian prime minister for his sentiments, Mr Aziz emphasized that the two countries should not lose opportunities to resolve issues. He told Dr Singh it was heartening to see that his government had reiterated its resolve to discuss the Jammu and Kashmir issue.
Referring to a 'very encouraging' meeting between Dr Singh and President Pervez Musharraf in September, Mr Aziz said: "We are committed to resolving all issues with India, including Jammu and Kashmir."
He stressed that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir should be resolved in accordance with the aspirations and wishes of the Kashmiri people. He said the All Parties Hurriyat Conference was a major force in Kashmir and it ought to be included in the dialogue process.
Advocating a tandem approach for resolving issues, Mr Aziz said it was high time for laying foundation of closer ties. The Indian prime minister pointed out that he was a Pakistani by birth and desired better relations with Pakistan.
Mr Aziz said the gas pipeline was a win-win proposal for both countries. He conveyed to the Indian leader that Pakistan had to go for the project even if India did not agree to it. However, he pointed out, the project was also in India's interest. He also told Dr Singh that Pakistan was currently discussing the matter with Qatar and Iran.
He proposed that there should be more flights from Pakistan for different points in India. The Indian leader was receptive to the idea. The Indian premier agreed with Mr Aziz's view that sports and culture promoted people-to-people contact and cooperation in the banking sector would give a boost to trade, investment and link between the two private sectors.
He said India attached great importance to regional cooperation for peace and prosperity and stressed the need for collaboration in providing resources to Saarc and sharing each other's experiences.
He pointed out that the signing of Safta (South Asia Free Trade Agreement) had given a new impetus to regional cooperation. Mr Aziz extended an invitation to the Indian prime minister to visit Pakistan which the latter accepted.
CALL ON PRESIDENT: Later, Prime Minister Aziz called on Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Talking to the Pakistani media later, he termed his meeting with the president 'very good' and said the talks covered bilateral and Saarc-related issues.
He briefed the president about the peace process and his discussion with the Indian government. Mr Kalam then invited Mr Aziz to his private office where he shared with him a new concept of rural development. Impressed by the concept, the premier took a copy of it. The prime minister also renewed an earlier invitation to the Indian president to visit Pakistan.
An 'expected' call on the prime minister by Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi did not take place. The word from the Indian side was that "she is out of town". Pakistan had made a request for the meeting last week through the Indian foreign ministry.
CPI: In the evening, the prime minister met leaders of the Communist Party of India (M) at the Pakistan House. The CPI leadership said it supported the peace process.
APP ADDS: Mr Aziz told reporters that Pakistan had sincere objective of having good and friendly relations with India, but not at the cost of the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said he had explicitly told Prime Minister Singh that converting the Line of Control into international border was no solution to the problem. Mr Aziz said he had meetings with key Kashmiri leaders individually and in groups and had threadbare discussions on their priorities and concerns regarding the resolution of the issue.
"There is nothing covert in our meetings with APHC leadership and we have been meeting with them in the past," he said. Mr Aziz said that President Musharraf's recent proposals on the Kashmir issue had figured during his talks with Dr Singh.
He, however, made it clear that no proposal was formally made to the Indian side. "No proposals were ever presented to India and no reaction is expected from India," the prime minister said, adding that the president's move was made merely as a basis for discussion in Pakistan.
RETURNS HOME: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday night from New Delhi after the successful conclusion of the second and last leg of Saarc countries tour.
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