Foreign Minister Khursheed Mahmood Kasuri has expressed the hope that the talks between Pakistan and India would prove fruitful and that both the countries desired to resolve all issues including the occupied Kashmir issue to get rid of poverty and economic backwardness. He hoped that India would adopt positive attitude like Pakistan during Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's visit to that country. He referred to the meeting between President Musharraf and Dr Manmohan Singh in New York and termed it positive.
He said both the leaders expressed confidence into each other and they believed that they will be able to resolve the issue.
Kasuri said he does not know the reason why negative indications have come from India now. May be it due to internal situation of India, he observed. When Vajpayee had a meeting with President Musharraf in Islamabad, the Indian occupied Kashmir issue was also discussed, he pointed out.
The Foreign Minister said that the basic issue of South Asia is poverty and economic development. "The South Asian region is lagging behind the entire regions of the world. These issues exist where there tension prevails".
An important thing is that strong peace lobbies have emerged in Pakistan and India, which want that the government should demonstrate statesmanship while looking into the problem, he noted.
Kasuri hoped that India well adopt positive attitude like Pakistan during Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's visit to that country.
In an interview to BBC, he said that he has also invited Natwar Singh to come to Pakistan. He observed that Pakistan and India were trying to coming out from hostility and held the view that only hard line elements of the two countries did not want normalisation of relations while the common masses are in favour of ending hostilities.
To a question Kasuri said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's statement that the Indian occupied Kashmir issue should be resolved keeping in view the wishes of the Kashmiris is not a new thing. We have been saying this, we and India want durable solution, he said.
The minister appreciated that Prime Minister of India has appealed to Kashmiris to hold talks with the government. "The Indian Prime Minister has also talked to the leaders of Hurriyat Conference and that he is holding talks with the Hurriyat because he considers it important party that is why they are negotiating".
January 6 and September 24 statements accept that Pakistan is a party, Kasuri clarified and added solution will be found when all the concerned will be satisfied.
Foreign minister hoped that both the governments will adopt the attitude, which the two peoples want.
He maintained that some lobbies do not want Pakistan-India to get out of old hostilities cobweb. However, he said, both in India and Pakistan very strong peace lobbies have emerged, which is a matter of satisfaction.
Kasuri held the opinion that if India too adopts a positive attitude like Pakistan then there will certainly be breakthrough.
Replying to another question Kasuri said that both the leaders of Pakistan and India have some hesitation, because the issue is very old, and the positions are very frozen. There may be political compulsion also, he noted. Ultimately, he viewed; the Governments will tread the path, which the masses want.
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