Pakistan and India have agreed to reinitiate the comprehensive dialogue process, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in a joint press conference on Wednesday along with the prime minister’s adviser on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz.
According to the joint statement after the meeting both the countries condemned terrorism and resolved to resolve to cooperate to eliminate it. Sushma said that Instead of composite dialogues, now comprehensive dialogues will be held in which all outstanding issues will be discussed. She said that foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India will decide the schedule of these meetings. The Indian minister claimed that the National Security Advisers of the two countries discussed all the outstanding issues during their recent meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. Swaraj also met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the ‘Heart of Asia’ conference to discuss bilateral issues. The meeting is considered crucial as many long standing issues were discussed. Swaraj confirmed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Pakistan for the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit expected to be held in September 2016. She said that it is the time that both the countries should display maturity and self confidence to do business with each other, the entire world expecting better outcome and both countries must not disappoint them. Swaraj also stated that connectivity also lies at the heart of India’s own efforts to push for regional economic cooperation. She also conveyed India’s willingness to join the Afghanistan-Pakistan trade and transit agreement.
It is a good omen that both the neighbouring countries have realized the importance of negotiations to normalize the bilateral issues. It is also pleasing that range of talks would cover all the conflicting issues.
It is good omen that both countries have realized value of dialogue to settle bilateral issues.