The Council of Pakistan American Affairs (COPAA), Los Angeles, has said it is encouraged by the positive outcome of the first direct meeting held between President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York recently.
In a statement, it said: "We support the specific agreements reached, calling for further bilateral talks, restoration of normal relations, exploration of a negotiated settlement in the disputed territory of Kashmir and the possibility of a gas pipeline via Pakistan to India."
It said the possibility of a gas pipeline from Iran through Pakistan to India has important benefits that could lead to tremendous economic prosperity for both countries.
"History has shown many examples of friendship growing out of mutual economic need that can become the basis of solid, long-term, peaceful, and exemplary relationships. The symbolic of the growing warmth in Indo-Pak relations was the reading of a joint statement by the two leaders", the statement added.
The statement said another interesting aspect of these two leaders is that each man was born in the other's country.
"This also symbolises how closely the people of the two countries are tied together. Such a circumstance has not been seen anywhere else in the last century", it added.
"We hope that these initial steps will lead to substantive agreements on all major issues. Such progress in Pakistani and Indian relations will result in prosperity and peace for both countries", said the statement.
The Council of Pakistan American Affairs is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to assist public officials and policy-makers in the United States.
Comments
Comments are closed.