Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri on Friday hoped that the forthcoming meeting between President General Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh expected at New York, would further expedite to composite dialogue process to resolve all outstanding issues.
In an interview with local news channel, the minister said, "We hope the meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly has special importance. There will be progress in the ongoing dialogue process in resolving all issue including Kashmir between India and Pakistan."
The minister said that progress was made in his recent meeting with Natwar Singh and in a joint statement, both sides had decided that the two countries would find suitable solution of Kashmir issue and other problems by holding composite dialogue.
India, which in the past had not accepted Kashmir as an issue, had then admitted its importance and focussed for its early resolution.
He said that Kashmir issue which was lingering for the last 57 years and a major cause of tension between the two countries. Its overnight solution was not possible.
"I did not think that differences over the Kashmir would be sorted out in a single meeting", he added.
This was a composite dialogue covering eight items, and Kashmir carried high importance rather centrality among them, the minister said.
The two countries had agreed that people to people contacts among the Kashmiris residing on both the sides of the Line of Control (LoC) would be strengthened he said adding this was a positive development.
Foreign minister said that in India he had meetings with senior leaders of occupied Kashmir, who wanted better ties between Pakistan and India.
"I assured them that Kashmiris' aspirations will be given importance in the ongoing dialogue process", he added.
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