Composite dialogue between India, Pakistan to begin in February

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, January 06, 2004

Composite dialogue between India, Pakistan to begin in February

Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha said Tuesday in Islamabad that the leaders of India and Pakistan have agreed to start a composite dialogue in February this year.

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Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha said Tuesday in Islamabad that the leaders of India and Pakistan have agreed to start a composite dialogue in February this year.

"To carry the process of normalization forward, the president of Pakistan and the prime minister of India agreed to commence the process of the composite dialogue in February 2004," said Sinha while reading a joint statement at the end of a regional conference here.

"The two leaders are confident that the resumption of the composite dialogue will lead to peaceful settlement of all bilateral issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, to the satisfaction of both sides."

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Monday held an hour-long meeting on the sidelines of the 12th summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

The two leaders agreed that constructive dialogue would promote progress towards the common objective of peace, security and economic development for the two peoples and future generations, said the joint statement.

While describing the joint statement as a win-win situation, Sinha told reporters that details of the dialogue, such as where it will be held, are still yet to be worked out.

"Prime Minister Vajpayee said that in order to take forward and sustain the dialogue process, violence, hostility and terrorism must be prevented," said the joint statement.

While, "President Musharraf reassured Prime Minister Vajpayee that he will not permit any territory under Pakistan's control to be used to support terrorism in any manner," it said.

President Musharraf emphasized that a sustained and productive dialogue addressing all issues would lead to positive results, said the joint statement.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri confirmed at a separate press conference that the composite dialogue will start from this February.

He said, however, there was no agreement so far over the timeframe for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. He pledged more confidence building measures between the two sides.

India and Pakistan, the two major players of the South Asian regional bloc, have fought three wars, two of them over the disputed Kashmir, ever since they gained independence from the British colonial rule in 1947.

Source: Xinhua

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