'Resumption of peace process a welcome devp'

Islamabad, Sept 21: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz today described resumption of peace process with India as a welcome development and said the two countries must try to find solution to all ''outstanding problems including Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek''.

He was talking to out-going high commissioner Shiv Shankar Menon, who met him here.

Mr Aziz said Pakistan wanted lasting peace to be established in South Asia, adding that the two countries could utilise their resources for betterment of their people in an effective fashion only after settlement of all bilateral disputes.

He stressed New Delhi and Islamabad should also continue holding talks on the feasibility of Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project, as energy requirements of the two countries were fast growing.

Earlier, addressing the inaugural session of a two-day international conference on 'Emerging Political Map of Asia' here, he said, ''Pakistan is consistently pursuing composite dialogue process with India to resolve all the disputes including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.'' ''The recent meeting between President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Havana, to resume dialogue progress is a vindication of our position,'' he claimed.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan stands for an amicable resolution of the Kashmir issue acceptable to all three parties - Pakistan, India and the Kashmiris.

UNI

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