G-8 welcomes resumption of India-Pakistan talks

Welcoming the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan, the G-8 countries on Sunday appealed to all nations in the region to work together “actively” in the interests of regional peace and stability.

“We welcome and encourage the recent steps taken by the governments of Pakistan and India to advance their bilateral relationship, and urge all countries of the region to work together actively in the interests of regional peace and stability,” a joint declaration said.

Bridging trust deficit

India and Pakistan had in April decided to resume dialogue at the level of Foreign Secretaries and Foreign Ministers to bridge the “trust deficit.”

India had put the Composite Dialogue process with Pakistan on hold after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

The Foreign Secretaries met in Islamabad on Thursday and prepared the ground for the Foreign Ministers' meeting there on July 15.

The Home Ministers also met in Islamabad on Saturday, during which New Delhi pressed for prosecution of more people involved in the Mumbai attacks.

The U.S. and the U.K. have been encouraging the two South Asian countries to resume dialogue, but have publicly made clear their stand not to interfere.

The U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia are members of the G-8.

In the declaration after two days of deliberations, the leaders of the Group of Eight developed countries, also welcomed and encouraged Pakistan's efforts to root out “violent extremists, especially in its border areas with Afghanistan.”

“We underscore the need for a broad regional approach to counter violent extremism. It is essential that Pakistan be supported by the international community as it addresses its political, economic and social reforms,” the declaration said.

Infrastructure projects

It said progress is being made, in association with multilateral donors, on two key projects under the G-8 Afghanistan Pakistan Border Region Prosperity Initiative: a Peshawar-Jalalabad expressway and a feasibility study for a Peshawar-Jalalabad rail link.

It said the G-8 countries were confident that these projects and others — realised with the efforts of the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan — would deliver tangible benefits to the Afghan and Pakistani people and help foster regional stability.