Our endeavour is to build trust: Pant

By Amit Baruah

HANOI, JULY 26. For the second consecutive day, the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Mr. K.C. Pant, has referred to the India- Pakistan dialogue at Agra.

``During his visit, the President of Pakistan (Gen. Pervez Musharraf) had extensive discussions with the entire Indian leadership, including three rounds of one-to-one meetings with the Prime Minister (Mr. A.B. Vajpayee) and an hour-long farewell call prior to his departure,'' Mr. Pant said in his address to the ASEAN+10 Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) here today. ``All these meetings were marked by cordiality and candour. They provided an invaluable opportunity to both sides to understand each other's viewpoints, concerns and compulsions.''

(He had told the ASEAN Regional Forum yesterday that India would continue with its quest for good relations with Pakistan).

Mr. Pant maintained that trade and industry circles had constantly urged India and Pakistan to respond to the desire for greater interaction. Mr. Vajpayee expressed his willingness to take major further steps in this direction. ``India is, of course, disappointed that the two sides could not arrive at an agreed text. This was on account of the difficulty in reconciling our basic approaches to bilateral relations.''

``India believes that the focus has to remain on the totality of the relationship; our endeavour to build trust and confidence, and a mutually beneficial relationship even as we address and move forward on all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, building upon existing compacts of Shimla and Lahore,'' Mr. Pant added.

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Section  : International
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