The Hindu : Front Page : India seeks good ties with Pakistan: Manmohan

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Thursday, Mar 06, 2008
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India seeks good ties with Pakistan: Manmohan

Special Correspondent

He commends people of Pakistan for choosing democracy

— file Photo: Kamal Narang

Manmohan Singh.

NEW DELHI: India seeks to have good relations with Pakistan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in his reply in the Lok Sabha to the motion of thanks for the President’s address.

“I would like to assure the newly elected leadership in Pakistan that we seek good relations with Pakistan. India wants to live in peace with Pakistan as the destinies of the two nations are closely inter-linked.” He stressed the need for thinking about their collective destiny, security and prosperity.

Congratulating the people of Pakistan on choosing the democratic path, Dr. Singh said unfortunately the great daughter of the country (Benazir Bhutto) had to sacrifice her life in the process.

Pointing out that in their first pronouncements after the elections, the leaders of the main parties in Pakistan spoke of their interest in developing close relations and working with India for durable peace, Dr. Singh said the ongoing dialogue was started by Benazir Bhutto and Rajiv Gandhi when they were Prime Ministers.

The most courageous steps to build peace were taken by the former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

“We have continued the process with President Pervez Musharraf,” Dr. Singh said as he spoke of his vision for India and Pakistan. In both countries, “there is a consensus that we must have close and cooperative relations and a framework for enduring peace.

On nuclear energy cooperation with the United States, Dr. Singh said the government was now engaged in negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency for an India-specific safeguards agreement.

“We also continue to seek the broadest possible consensus within the country to enable the next step to be taken. I believe that such cooperation is good for us for our energy security and for the world.”

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