By Minu Jain, IANS,
Sharm-el-Sheikh : Pakistan believes in “durable peace” in South Asia facilitated by the resolution of all disputes with India, including Jammu and Kashmir, its Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said here Wednesday.
Addressing the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit a day before he meets his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, he said there had recently been “forward movement ” in relations with India. He said he hoped to “sustain momentum and move towards comprehensive engagement”.
“We believe durable peace in South Asia is achievable… facilitated by the resolution of all outstanding disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir.”
The peace dividend for 1.5 billion people of the region would be enormous, he added.
Gilani, however, trotted out the familiar Pakistan line on terrorism, saying terrorism cannot be eliminated only by military means but by addressing its “root causes”.
This involved “resolving the long-standing political disputes and promoting socio-economic development”, he said.
Making a mention of Afghanistan, Gilani said his country will work with Iran, Turkey, the US, Russia and “immediate neighbours of Afghanistan” to promote peace, security and development in the country.
He pointedly did not mention India as among the stakeholders in a stable Afghanistan even though New Delhi is one of the biggest aid givers to Kabul.