akistan for 'decisive' talks with India

Observing that it will approach the resumption of dialogue with India with utmost sincerity and an open mind, Pakistan has hoped that the planned future round of talks would prove "decisive" in settling all disputes, including Kashmir.

"We hope that future round of negotiations, when it materialises, would prove decisive in resolving all bilateral problems," Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar told the Geneva Forum of Disarmament on Friday.

Pakistan approached the resumption of dialogue with India with "utmost sincerity and an open mind" and expects the same from India, Kokhar was quoted by the official newsagency APP as saying.

Khokhar accused India of "prevaricating" the right of self determination to Kashmiris and said that Pakistan was convinced that the "dispute" should be resolved peacefully as "there is no alternative to negotiations.

Equally clear, he said is the fact that viable peace would "continue to elude South Asia without a just settlement of this dispute in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people."

Referring to the new peace process between India and Pakistan, he said that there was a "stirring of a positive change" in New Delhi.

"We would like to count on its irreversibility since military brinkmanship is not a viable instrument of policy least of all in a nuclear theatre," he said.

Terming External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha's recent statements on India's right to take pre-emptive action against Pakistan, "highly inflammatory", Kokhar said "induction of such concepts in a brittle security environment gravely enfeebled by unresolved conflicts and nuclear threats is most irresponsible. South Asia needs statesmanship not sabrerattling."

Khokhar also reiterated Pakistan's opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and claimed the government has taken several effective measures to curb the "so-called cross-border infiltration."

"Pakistan, on its part, is ready to face this test," he said.

IANS adds: The Pakistan government has called an inter-ministerial meeting here Monday to discuss granting most favoured nation (MFN) status to India, media reports said.

The meeting, to be hosted by the foreign ministry, will be attended by senior officials from the ministries of defence, railways, sports and culture, interior, foreign office and commerce.

"(The meeting) would also work out a negotiation agenda for a possible resumption of dialogue between the two countries," The Dawn newspaper reported.

"(It) would discuss resumption of air, train, bus services and sports ties between the two countries as well as proposals for further enhancement in these areas," it added.

However, the "main task of the meeting would be to discuss the pros and cons of possible extension of the most favoured nation status to India and its likely implications on Pakistan's economy", the newspaper said.