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Pak-India relations

PM confident of improvement in Pak-India relations
 
      ISLAMABAD, Sep 7 (APP): Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf
on Friday expressed the confidence that relationship between
Pakistan and India would improve and move forward in accordance
with the direction set by the government.
      He was talking to Indian Minister for External Affairs S.M.
Krishna, who called on him here at the Prime Minister House.
      Prime Minister Ashraf said that Krishna's visit was of great importance as the people of both the countries desired good relations.
"We must learn from the past. We cannot change neighbours," he
added.
      He appreciated the efforts made by Foreign Minister Hina
Rabbani Khar and S. M. Krishna for improving relations between the
two countries.
      The Prime Minister said, "No doubt Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek
and other issues need to be resolved, but we need to have a positive
approach to resolve these issues."
      He said that terrorism anywhere in the world was a threat to humanity and it was also a common enemy of both the countries. Pakistan, he added, was a frontline state in the war on terrorism and had suffered enormously.
      The Prime Minister said that there was a political consensus in
Pakistan over having good relations with India.
      In this connection, he referred to the recent visit of the
Pakistani  parliamentary delegation to India, comprising
representatives of all the political parties in the country.
      The Prime Minister asked Krishna to convey his best wishes to the
Prime Minister and the people of India.
      He also extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to visit Pakistan.
      The Indian Minister thanked the Prime Minister for taking out time
to meet him. He said that it was his second visit to Pakistan as the External Affairs Minister.
      Krishna said that he had developed a rapport with Ms. Hina
Rabbani Khar, whose visit to India was a defining moment.
      He said that the revival of the Joint Ministerial
Commission between the two  countries after six years would send a
strong message that "we mean business".
      He said that India was committed to stability, peace and
prosperity of Pakistan.
      Krishna said that he agreed with the assessment of the Prime
Minister that the present atmosphere between the two countries was
good. "We need to create the right kind of atmosphere for
creating feel good factor". This, he said, was now slowly appearing
on the horizon.
      Krishna informed the Prime Minister that there was a lot of
goodwill among the people of India for the people of Pakistan.
      He referred to the recent Commonwealth Games where the
Pakistani contingent was accorded the biggest reception after the
Indian contingent.
      Krishna said both Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and Dr.
Manmohan Singh hailed from the same region and this would help solve
issues that haunt the two countries.
      Prime Minister Ashraf said that he wished both the
foreign ministers the best during their negotiations.
      The meeting was attended by Indian High Commissioner Sharat
Sabharwal, Pakistan's High Commissioner in India Salman Bashir and
other senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We must learn from the past. We cannot change neighbours," he
added.
      He appreciated the efforts made by Foreign Minister Hina
Rabbani Khar and S. M. Krishna for improving relations between the
two countries.
      The Prime Minister said, "No doubt Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek
and other issues need to be resolved, but we need to have a positive
approach to resolve these issues."
      He said that terrorism anywhere in the world was a threat to humanity and it was also a common enemy of both the countries. Pakistan, he added, was a frontline state in the war on terrorism and had suffered enormously.
      The Prime Minister said that there was a political consensus in
Pakistan over having good relations with India.
      In this connection, he referred to the recent visit of the
Pakistani  parliamentary delegation to India, comprising
representatives of all the political parties in the country.
      The Prime Minister asked Krishna to convey his best wishes to the
Prime Minister and the people of India.
      He also extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to visit Pakistan.
      The Indian Minister thanked the Prime Minister for taking out time
to meet him. He said that it was his second visit to Pakistan as the External Affairs Minister.
      Krishna said that he had developed a rapport with Ms. Hina
Rabbani Khar, whose visit to India was a defining moment.
      He said that the revival of the Joint Ministerial
Commission between the two  countries after six years would send a
strong message that "we mean business".
      He said that India was committed to stability, peace and
prosperity of Pakistan.
      Krishna said that he agreed with the assessment of the Prime
Minister that the present atmosphere between the two countries was
good. "We need to create the right kind of atmosphere for
creating feel good factor". This, he said, was now slowly appearing
on the horizon.
      Krishna informed the Prime Minister that there was a lot of
goodwill among the people of India for the people of Pakistan.
      He referred to the recent Commonwealth Games where the
Pakistani contingent was accorded the biggest reception after the
Indian contingent.
      Krishna said both Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and Dr.
Manmohan Singh hailed from the same region and this would help solve
issues that haunt the two countries.
      Prime Minister Ashraf said that he wished both the
foreign ministers the best during their negotiations.
      The meeting was attended by Indian High Commissioner Sharat
Sabharwal, Pakistan's High Commissioner in India Salman Bashir and
other senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.'>
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