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NEW DELHI, March 22: India has said that if President Pervez Musharraf wants to discuss any issue during his visit here next month for watching a cricket match, it will be willing to do so. ?President Musharraf is coming here to watch the cricket match on April 17, if he wants to discuss any issue, we are willing to do so,? External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh said while replying to a special discussion on a statement made in Lok Sabha on Monday on developments in Nepal and his recent visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The minister made it clear that the ?real success? of the composite dialogue process would be when what New Delhi calls cross-border terrorism was stopped. Emphasizing that there had been a ?change in atmosphere? from what prevailed some years ago; Mr Singh said ?significant progress? had been made on some of the 72 confidence-building measures proposed by India.
About the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service, the minister said every precaution was being taken with regard to the country?s security.
Mr Singh said pre-verification would be done for the passengers crossing the Line of Control on this side before being given documents with the government of India stamp.
He said an atmosphere had been created where families on either side of the LoC could meet and re-unite. If there were some drawbacks in the bus service, these would be looked into, he added.
Mr Singh said India and Pakistan had agreed to start a rail service between Munnabao and Khokhrapar from Oct 2, 2005.
?The two countries have agreed to start a rail service between Rajasthan?s Munnabao and Pakistan?s Khokhrapar on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on Oct 2,? he said.
Mr Singh said the railway line on the Munnabao side was broad gauge, but from Khokhrapar to the border it was metre gauge.
Pakistan authorities said there were some technical difficulties in converting the metre gauge into broad gauge.
?I suggested that passengers from Munnabao can get down at the border and then travel on the metre gauge line, and vice versa, to which Pakistan agreed,? he said.
Mr Singh indicated that there was a possibility of starting a bus service between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib from Baisakhi (April 13). ? APP/ PPI
The minister made it clear that the ?real success? of the composite dialogue process would be when what New Delhi calls cross-border terrorism was stopped. Emphasizing that there had been a ?change in atmosphere? from what prevailed some years ago; Mr Singh said ?significant progress? had been made on some of the 72 confidence-building measures proposed by India.
About the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service, the minister said every precaution was being taken with regard to the country?s security.
Mr Singh said pre-verification would be done for the passengers crossing the Line of Control on this side before being given documents with the government of India stamp.
He said an atmosphere had been created where families on either side of the LoC could meet and re-unite. If there were some drawbacks in the bus service, these would be looked into, he added.
Mr Singh said India and Pakistan had agreed to start a rail service between Munnabao and Khokhrapar from Oct 2, 2005.
?The two countries have agreed to start a rail service between Rajasthan?s Munnabao and Pakistan?s Khokhrapar on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on Oct 2,? he said.
Mr Singh said the railway line on the Munnabao side was broad gauge, but from Khokhrapar to the border it was metre gauge.
Pakistan authorities said there were some technical difficulties in converting the metre gauge into broad gauge.
?I suggested that passengers from Munnabao can get down at the border and then travel on the metre gauge line, and vice versa, to which Pakistan agreed,? he said.
Mr Singh indicated that there was a possibility of starting a bus service between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib from Baisakhi (April 13). ? APP/ PPI
