Maintain cease-fire in the interest of peace, Pranab tells Pakistan

Tehran, July 29 : Visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today urged Pakistan to respect and maintain the sanctity of the cease-fire that the two countries had agreed to in November 2003 for the sake of peace, stability and future progress in the composite dialogue process.

Reacting to the latest violation of the cease-fire on the Line of Control (LoC) in which an Indian Army soldier and four Pakistani soldiers were killed on Monday, Mukherjee told ANI TV: "It would be my appeal to the Pakistani authorities to ensure that the cease-fire is maintained. Both sides should maintain peace and tranquility on the border because our dialogue with Pakistan is a composite dialogue."

"We have begun the fifth round of a series of meetings. It will take place on all issues between India and Pakistan within the umbrella of this composite dialogue and, that process should be allowed to continue," the Minister further said on the sidelines of a NAM ministerial meet here.

Describing the shoot-out in the Kupwara-Nowgam sector as unfortunate, Mukherjee said: " Nothing should be done to vitiate the atmosphere so that the dialogue process becomes disturbed." By Naveen Kapoor

ANI