Relations with China,Pak poised for positive transformation:EAM

New Delhi, Jan 17 (UNI) External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said India's relations with Pakistan and China were poised for a ''positive transformation'' while in the coming years, attempt would be made to inject ''real political content'' into the strategic partnerships with all major powers.

The External Affairs Minister, who recently toured SAARC countries to invite Heads of State/Government to participate in the April 3-4 SAARC Summit being held here, said India would take the initiative in accelerating regional economic and political cooperation.

''We will also play a positive role in deepening Asian economic integration as well as the establishment of new trans-border transport networks and energy pipelines with our eastern eighbours,'' he said in an address on the occasion of the national launch of Global India Foundation.

In that context, the 'Look East' policy had become central to India's new strategy to intensify the development of the Northeastern region.

Asserting India's determination to open its markets to neighbours, the External Affairs Minister said India was conscious that no South Asian nation could succeed on its own and a stake must be created for every nation in the economic success of the other.

Rejecting the ''misconstrued'' assertion that India's policy had often been a search for hegemony, Mr Mukherjee said India's commitment to developing political relations with its South Asian neighbours on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect was underlined by the recent decision to upgrade the 1949 Friendship Treaty with Bhutan and willingness to review the 1950 Treaty with Nepal.

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