NEW DELHI, Feb 16 (APP) :Pranab Mukherjee, Indian Minister for External Affairs said India was committed to peace, friendship and good neighbourly relations with Pakistan.
Addressing the Consultative committee on External Affairs on India’s bilateral relations with SAARC countries, he said Fourth Round of Composite dialogue had been held and India was committed to this dialogue.
The Indian official spokesman while giving the details of Minister’s address said he explained the achievements of the 14th SAARC Summit, particularly on the agreements on the establishment of the South Asian University and SAARC Food Bank. He highlighted the theme of Connectivity which was the main theme of the summit.
The minister said India attached highest priority to building closer political, economic and cultural ties with its neighbours, given the fact that the countries of the sub-continent were bound by history, culture and ethnic ties and share a common destiny.
India views South Asia as an integrated region in which there is a free flow of goods, peoples and ideas unfettered by boundaries, he said and added India believes that South Asian countries can advance together by establishing peace and security, containing threats from extremism, terrorism, removing sources of political discord, creating a common space for prosperity and enhancing the economic, trade and investment linkages, improving connectivity and creating sustainable social and economic development.