Devil Soul
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Ties with Pakistan improving: Indian foreign minister
AFP | | (1 hour ago) Today
NEW DELHI: Indias foreign minister said Wednesday that a trust deficit with Pakistan was shrinking as he headed for a regional summit, in a clear sign of warming relations between the neighbours.
The trust deficit with Pakistan is shrinking, S.M. Krishna said on board his flight to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in the Maldives, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
Referring to a very positive atmosphere between the countries, he also said that it was necessary for Pakistan and India to develop a joint strategy in order to fight terror in the region, the agency reported.
The last meeting in July between Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart, Hina Rabbani Khar, ended with talk of a new era of cooperation after the ruptures of the past.
Last week, Pakistans cabinet announced it had approved a proposal giving India the status of most favoured nation which would help open the highly restricted flow of goods over their border.
Relations between two countries that have fought three wars since independence in 1947 are of vital importance for stability in the region and the world.
---------- Post added at 11:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:55 AM ----------
Trust deficit with Pakistan shrinking: Singh
By AFP
Published: November 9, 2011
MALDIVES: The leaders of India and Pakistan will meet on the sidelines of a regional summit this week, as the nuclear-armed rivals seek to push a tentative rapprochement in their fractious relationship.
Talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani will take place at the summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations that opens Thursday in the Maldives.
India’s foreign minister said Wednesday that a “trust deficit” with Pakistan was shrinking as he headed for a regional summit, in a clear sign of warming relations between the neighbours.
“The trust deficit with Pakistan is shrinking,” S.M. Krishna said on board his flight to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in the Maldives, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
He also said that it was necessary for Pakistan and India to develop a joint strategy to fight terror in the region, the agency reported.
Their meeting follows what Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai described as “positive indicators” from Pakistan in recent weeks that it is serious about reducing tensions.
An Indian military helicopter which strayed into Pakistani territory last month was promptly released along with its crew and returned to India, avoiding what in the past could easily have escalated into a diplomatic row.
And last week the Pakistani cabinet approved a proposal to grant India the status of “most favoured nation” in a move towards normalising trade relations.
“These are I would say indications of forward movement,” Mathai said, adding that “all aspects” of the India-Pakistan relationship would be discussed during the Singh-Gilani talks.
The two prime ministers last met in March when Gilani accepted Singh’s invitation to watch the India-Pakistan cricket World Cup semi-final. They last held formal talks at the 2010 SAARC summit in Bhutan.
Talks between the neighbours’ foreign ministers in July failed to produce a major breakthrough, but both sides signalled a warming of ties, with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani speaking of a “new era of cooperation.”
But efforts to reduce tensions have been complicated by the increasing influence of Afghanistan in the bilateral equation.
Indian involvement in Afghanistan is sensitive, with Pakistan vehemently opposed to its arch foe meddling in what it considers its backyard.
Islamabad’s suspicions were fuelled when Afghanistan and India signed a strategic partnership pact last month.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai will also attend the SAARC summit, along with the leaders of other member nations Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Previous summits of the regional body have been largely overshadowed by the India-Pakistan dynamic — a fact that Mathai acknowledged with regret.
“We would like the focus to remain essentially on the common business of SAARC … and hope that the focus will not be diverted to one single event,” he said.
The summit is being held in Addu, on the southern Maldives’ island of Gan.
AFP | | (1 hour ago) Today
NEW DELHI: Indias foreign minister said Wednesday that a trust deficit with Pakistan was shrinking as he headed for a regional summit, in a clear sign of warming relations between the neighbours.
The trust deficit with Pakistan is shrinking, S.M. Krishna said on board his flight to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in the Maldives, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
Referring to a very positive atmosphere between the countries, he also said that it was necessary for Pakistan and India to develop a joint strategy in order to fight terror in the region, the agency reported.
The last meeting in July between Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart, Hina Rabbani Khar, ended with talk of a new era of cooperation after the ruptures of the past.
Last week, Pakistans cabinet announced it had approved a proposal giving India the status of most favoured nation which would help open the highly restricted flow of goods over their border.
Relations between two countries that have fought three wars since independence in 1947 are of vital importance for stability in the region and the world.
---------- Post added at 11:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:55 AM ----------
Trust deficit with Pakistan shrinking: Singh
By AFP
Published: November 9, 2011
MALDIVES: The leaders of India and Pakistan will meet on the sidelines of a regional summit this week, as the nuclear-armed rivals seek to push a tentative rapprochement in their fractious relationship.
Talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani will take place at the summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations that opens Thursday in the Maldives.
India’s foreign minister said Wednesday that a “trust deficit” with Pakistan was shrinking as he headed for a regional summit, in a clear sign of warming relations between the neighbours.
“The trust deficit with Pakistan is shrinking,” S.M. Krishna said on board his flight to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in the Maldives, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
He also said that it was necessary for Pakistan and India to develop a joint strategy to fight terror in the region, the agency reported.
Their meeting follows what Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai described as “positive indicators” from Pakistan in recent weeks that it is serious about reducing tensions.
An Indian military helicopter which strayed into Pakistani territory last month was promptly released along with its crew and returned to India, avoiding what in the past could easily have escalated into a diplomatic row.
And last week the Pakistani cabinet approved a proposal to grant India the status of “most favoured nation” in a move towards normalising trade relations.
“These are I would say indications of forward movement,” Mathai said, adding that “all aspects” of the India-Pakistan relationship would be discussed during the Singh-Gilani talks.
The two prime ministers last met in March when Gilani accepted Singh’s invitation to watch the India-Pakistan cricket World Cup semi-final. They last held formal talks at the 2010 SAARC summit in Bhutan.
Talks between the neighbours’ foreign ministers in July failed to produce a major breakthrough, but both sides signalled a warming of ties, with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani speaking of a “new era of cooperation.”
But efforts to reduce tensions have been complicated by the increasing influence of Afghanistan in the bilateral equation.
Indian involvement in Afghanistan is sensitive, with Pakistan vehemently opposed to its arch foe meddling in what it considers its backyard.
Islamabad’s suspicions were fuelled when Afghanistan and India signed a strategic partnership pact last month.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai will also attend the SAARC summit, along with the leaders of other member nations Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Previous summits of the regional body have been largely overshadowed by the India-Pakistan dynamic — a fact that Mathai acknowledged with regret.
“We would like the focus to remain essentially on the common business of SAARC … and hope that the focus will not be diverted to one single event,” he said.
The summit is being held in Addu, on the southern Maldives’ island of Gan.
