Shaukat Aziz says Kashmir remains 'core issue'

New Delhi, Apr 3: Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz today acknowledged that the "trust deficit" between India and Pakistan was reducing but reiterated his country's position that the Kashmir question was the "core issue" between the two neighbours.

"From Pakistan's perspective, the Kashmir issue must be settled in line with the aspirations and the wishes of the Kashmiri people," he said at an interaction with a group of editors here this afternoon on the sidelines of the 14th SAARC Summit.

"Kashmir is the key issue. This is the reality," he stressed.

He also made it clear that improvement in trade relations between the two countries was dependent on a solution to the Kashmir question.

He said Pakistan hoped that the talks between the two countries would lead to "an arrangement, a scenario that will be acceptable to the people of Kashmir. Certainly, Kashmir is a major point of discussion...We certainly believe that a resolution of this issue will improve the atmosphere between the two countries," he said.

He said the two sides were discussing Kashmir, Siachen and all other outstanding issues under the composite dialogue process between the two countries.

"In every area, we are moving ahead in the right direction," Mr Aziz remarked.

The Pakistan Prime Minister said the trust deficit between the two countries emanated from history.

"We want to bring the trust deficit to zero. It will take time, it will take substantive efforts," he said.

Despite repeated questions, Mr Aziz declined to go into the details of the progress made so far on the Kashmir, Siachen and other questions.

On the Kashmir issue, he said Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had made some proposals. "We have suggested various options, which can be the basis of the discussion," he felt.

''We are moving ahead step by step. It is a bit of a journey," he explained. According to him, the ultimate aim was to make South Asia a region that was safe, peaceful and stable.

"All I would say now is that the process, at the Foreign Secretary-level and the Foreign Minister-level talks, are moving ahead," he said.

"We are getting there...it is a process. Please bear with me. It will serve us all well. Things are moving. Let's stay tuned in." The Pakistani leader, however, refused to be drawn into a discussion on who he thought were the "real representatives" of the Kashmiri people.

On the joint anti-terrorism mechanism set up by the two countries, Mr Aziz noted that its first meeting had been held in Islamabad last month.

"Terrorism is a complex issue. It is a problem the whole world faces," he said, adding that the mechanism would help in the exchange of information.

In this context, he referred to the recent blasts on the Samjhauta Express in which several Pakistanis returning home from India were killed. He said the incident had stirred strong emotions in Pakistan and acknowledged the help provided by the Indian authorities in treating the injured passengers and in transporting the bodies of victims back to Pakistan.

"But the people of Pakistan want to know who was behind the blasts," he said, hoping that the anti-terror mechanism would help find the answers.

Mr Aziz also stressed the need for addressing the "root causes" of terrorism. "We must identify the root causes and take policy and other measures to minimise such evils," he said. "Often, deprivation in any form can lead to terrorism." On the whole, he felt the anti-terrorism mechanism was a good idea. "Dialogue and discussions will lead to progress." He stressed the need for the two countries to work together and harder to make the peace process successful.

"We are confident that it will lead to a more peaceful South Asia and a situation in which both our countries can divert their energies and resources to benefit their peoples." He pointed out that India and Pakistan accounted for the largest number of people below the poverty line and there was urgent need for the two governments to take measurs to ensure a better life for their people.

"Our success will be judged by how we change their lives. That is the acid test," he said.

Mr Aziz said the governments and the leaderships of both India and Pakistan were committed to the peace process and to better ties between the two countries.

"We are engaged in a multi-faceted peace process. There are talks that are public and not so public," he said.

He said people in both countries must focus less on the process and more on the results.

"Every interaction, every meeting is part of that process," he said, underlining the need for patience on both sides for results to be seen. "Every meeting cannot result in a transaction." Mr Aziz pointed out that there was much more interaction between the two sides, much higher levels of confidence in each other and more travel, business and trade between them.

The Pakistani leader talked about the efforts being made by both sides in the areas of energy, water and food security. "We must create linkages and inter-dependencies. This is one of the foundations of good relations between neighbours," he said.

Mr Aziz repeatedly said that improvement in trade ties between the two countries was dependent on a solution to the Kashmir issue while maintaining that Pakistan was one of the most deregulated economies of the region.

He denied suggestions that this stand stemmed from a fear that its economy would be swamped by Indian companies. "That is the least of our worries." He pointed out that Pakistan had free trade with China and had only gained from it. He was sure that Indian companies would be able to handle the competition from Chinese manufacturers when they gained better access to the Pakistani market.

UNI