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| Manmohan-Shaukat Aziz talks cover vital issues | | No major breakthrough on Kashmir, Siachen issues | |
BL KAK
NEW DELHI, Apr 4: Even as Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and his Pakistani counterpart, Shaukat Aziz, have had "friendly and useful" talks for about 50 minutes here on Wednesday, no major breakthrough was achieved on the two vital issues of Jammu and Kashmir and Siachen glacier. The talks took place at the offical residence of Manmohan Singh.
Shaukat Aziz, while fielding a number of questions from mediapersons at he end of the talks, scrupulously avoided making public the proposals or suggestions discussed by him with his Indian counterpart in relation to the resolution of the Kashmir issue. Pakistan, he said, was making every effort to make the ongoing dialogue process a succcess and hoped that 'tangible results' would be achieved on Kashmir and other issues.
These views, Pak Premier said, he had shared with Manmohan Singh during their meeting, which also covered Siachen, Sir Creek, Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline and connectivity issues. Shaukat Aziz's expression appeared enough to suggest that he and his Indian counterpart would have to wait for sometime before evolving mutually-acceptable solution to the Jammu and Kashmir problem.
Shaukat Aziz was not surprised as journalists, one after another, shot questions in relations to Kashmir and Siachen glacier. On Kashmir, he said that dialogue was progressing at various levels to address the issue. His optimistic finding: "The ongoling dialogue process has created a good atmosphere and will lead to better ties". Aziz said that he and Manmohan Singh discussed that "if South Asia has to live in peace and people have to benefit, the dialogue process has to be taken forward".
Responding to a pointed question, the Pak Prime Minister said that the dialogue with India on Kashmir and other issues "is going on well". The dialogue, designed to improve relations, is going on at various levels, he said and hoped that it would lead to a "tangible conclusion". He referred to the Defence Secretary-level talks to be held in Islamabad on Friday (April 6) and expressed confidence that there will be "substantive" progress on Siachen and Sir Creek.
The cross-border Samjhauta Express blasts, which killed 68 Indians and Pakistanis in February, also came up for discussion and Manmohan Singh assured Shaukat Aziz that the progress in investigations will be shared periodically with Islamabad. The two leaders also discussed the issue of prisoners, with Aziz assuring Manmohan Singh that Pakistan would take early action to return boats seized from Indian fishermen.
As part of enhancing people-to-people contacts and trade relations, the two Prime Ministers agreed to increase air links and grant permission to the banks of the respective countries to open branches. Aziz told Manmohan Singh that Pakistan was issuing more visas to Sikh pilgrims to visit shrines.
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