India's pre-conditions to resumption of dialogue untenable: Pakistan

Islamabad, June 5 (ANI): Pakistan's Foreign Office has said that New Delhi's pre-conditions to resumption of dialogue with Islamabad are untenable.

Reacting to remarks made by the External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, spokesman Abdul Basit said the two countries were using diplomatic channels to see how the dialogue process could be resumed.

Pakistan's High Commissioner to New Delhi Shahid Malik met with Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on Wednesday, while the Indian high commissioner in Islamabad met with Pakistan's Foreign Secretary on Thursday.

The spokesman said that it is through dialogue that the two countries understand each other and can get down to the business of resolving issues facing the region.

Basit said it was important for India and Pakistan to get the dialogue process back on track as quickly as possible and without pre-conditions.

He said Pakistan believed that a fair and just resolution of the long-standing Kashmir dispute was absolutely essential for viable and lasting peace in the region.

Basit said Pakistan was also concerned over a planned US military surge in Afghanistan as it could increase infiltration of militants and extremists into Pakistan from the Afghan side.

"We are concerned about that ... It is a serious matter for us in the sense that we do not want infiltration of militants or extremists from across the border," the Daily Times quoted Basit, as saying.

He said Pakistan was ready to cooperate with international forces operating in Afghanistan in this regard. (ANI)