Lahore, Jul 28: Back from her visit to India, Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar today described the outcome of her bilateral talks in New Delhi as “positive and constructive” but added that neither of the two sides deviated from their stated political positions.
Talking to reporters at Lahore airport on her return from Delhi, she also said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh desired to resolve all outstanding issues with Pakistan.
“None of us (India and Pakistan) deviated from our stated legal and political positions. Our stated position is divergent,” Khar said.
“Shall we have to continue this divergence and reach to a point where we start considering each other enemy?” she asked and was quick to add: “It is in our interest to normalise relations with India”.
However, the young foreign minister described the outcome of her talks with her Indian counterpart S M Krishna as “positive and constructive” and said the two sides agreed to continue dialogue without any hiccup.
She further said that Prime Minister Singh had accepted her invitation to visit Pakistan.
“The Indian prime minister wants to resolve all outstanding issues including Kashmir,” she said.
To a question about the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, Khar said it was a big incident and Pakistan was not making any intentional delay to prosecute the culprits.
“There has been no intentional delay, let me tell you. The difference is in the outlook (at it from Indian side),” she said.
To another query, Khar said: “Shall we (India and Pakistan) continue to have differences between us for more and more years to come involving our new generations? Lets give peace a chance”.
Hina also stated that her meeting with Kashmiri separatists a day before the bilateral talks was criticised in India.
“My meeting with Kashmiri leaders was minded in New Delhi”.
When asked whether she raised the water issue with India, she said Indus Water Treaty should be “preserved” and that was extremely important to resolve any issue related to water. PTI
