Singh-Gilani talks imparted 'seriousness of purpose': Khar

Islamabad, Nov 11: The talks between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan has imparted a "seriousness of purpose" to bilateral engagement with both sides agreeing to finalise a calender of meetings to discuss all outstanding issues in a result-oriented manner, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said today (Nov 11).

"Pakistan had positively evaluated the talks and welcomed India's readiness for a broad ranging engagement," Khar said in a statement issued here by the Foreign Office, a day after Manmohan Singh met his Pakistani counterpart Yosuf Raza Gilani on the margins of the SAARC summit in Maldives.

She said the bilateral summit in Maldives had "contributed to impel a seriousness of purpose to the process of engagement, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to the pursuit of peace and discussing all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, in a result-oriented manner".

India and Pakistan had agreed during the talks to finalise a calendar of meetings, Khar said.

They further agreed to convene meetings of technical working groups prior to the holding of a meeting of the Pakistan-India Joint Commission, she added.

Khar remarked that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh "had noted that terrorism was a common problem".

She said: "Instead of remaining mired in accusations and counter-accusations, the real way forward was cooperation."

The Interior and Home Secretaries of the two countries had been mandated to discuss counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics, she said.

PTI