By IANS,
Tehran : Underlining the serious threat posed by terrorism to global peace, India Sunday said it wanted to address all issues that have affected ties with Pakistan and stressed on enhancing economic and transport links between the two countries.
“In recent years, India has pursued a policy of positive and substantial engagement with Pakistan. We wish to address issues that have affected our ties over the last several years,” External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said at a seminar in the Iranian capital.
“We also wish to make progress in areas such as enhancement of physical connectivity and upgradation of economic ties,” he added.
“Peace, stability and development in Pakistan and our immediate neighbourhood are in the interest of India, Iran and our region, enabling us to concentrate on economic development,” Mukherjee said in a bid to place India-Pakistan relations in the larger context of regional stability.
Alluding to the July 7 terrorist attacks on the Indian embassy in Kabul that killed four Indians, including two diplomats, and over 50 Afghans, Mukherjee underlined that terrorism was “one of the most serious threats to global peace”.
“The terrorists may claim to act on behalf of religion, but in truth they have no religion, because the essence of religions is peace and universal brotherhood, and not violence and the violation of human rights,” he said.
India has blamed Pakistan’s spy agency ISI for its alleged collusion in the attack on the Indian embassy – a charge that has been repudiated by Islamabad. The two countries held a special meeting of their anti-terror mechanism last month to address mutual concerns about the Kabul bombing and agreed to carry forward their talks on this issue.