Prez Musharraf renews cooperation offer to India

Islamabad, Oct 12: Renewing Pakistan's offer of cooperation to India in the July 11 Mumbai blasts, President General Pervez Musharraf said today that the two South Asian neighbours could work together against acts of terror in either country.

''We are willing to cooperate with India in the ongoing probe in July 11 Mumbai blasts if evidence is provided to us in this regard,'' he told reporters here tonight at an Iftar dinner.

He said that Pakistan was against terrorism and Mumbai blasts were an act of terror, so was the attack on Indian parliament and killing of innocent civilians.

The President pointed out that during his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Havana he was not provided any proof, adding that if evidence was given, Pakistan would look into it.

The two leaders met in Havana on the margins of the NAM summit on September 16 and agreed to resume the peace process, which was put off by India for an indefinite period days after Prime Minister Singh accused elements across the border for their involvement in the Mumbai blasts.

They directed their foreign secretaries to meet at the earliest to resume the dialogue, which commenced in February 2004 after years of tensions that brought the two countries on the verge of a full scale war in late 2001 after the terror attack on the Indian parliament.

Islamabad and New Delhi held two rounds of the peace talks, also known as the composite dialogue before their postponement. Pakistani and Indian foreign secretaries are now likely to meet immediately after the month of Ramazan in New Delhi to start the third cycle of the dialogue covering all outstanding issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

About the Anti-terror Institutional Mechamism agreed to be put in place by the two leaders during their Havana meeting, Musharraf said both the countries need to work out details and to agree on modalities.

''However said there can be no one-way traffic and both the countries will have to cooperate with each other,'' said the President, who repeatedly said that the peace process between the two nations would not derail in future.

Pakistan also needs (India's) cooperation, he said and added that intelligence sharing was mutually beneficial for both the sides.

''We need to deal with each other to improve relations.'' He said with sincerity and will Pakistan and India could settle the issues of Siachin and Sir Creek in a day.

''If there is will decision can be reached in a day,'' he said in response to a question, adding that the secretary level talks between the two countries have run their course on these issues.

On the Kashmir issue, the President said in the joint statement of September 16, 2006, it has been stated that the two sides have been discussing the long-standing issue and that we (two sides) need to narrow down divergences and reinforce convergences.

''This is a way forward, he briefly but confidently stated.'' Both the sides have to step backwards on the Kashmir issue to reach a compromise as mutual stepping back was the only way to reach a solution, he said.

On the proposed visit by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Pakistan, he said the invitation had already been extended and accepted by the Indian leader.

He said efforts would be made to make the visit ''substantive''.

UNI