Pak hopes for ''constructive'' Indian attitude at FS talks

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Feb 4 (PTI) Pakistan today said it is goingto the upcoming Foreign-Secretary level parleys with Indiawith an "open mind" and was hopeful of a "constructiveattitude" from it so that the stalled peace process can beresumed.

Referring to the upcoming meeting between the ForeignSecretaries of Pakistan and India on the margins of the SAARCCouncil of Ministers meeting in Bhutan, Foreign OfficeSpokesman Abdul Basit said, "Pakistan is going to Thimphu withan open mind".

He added: "We hope India also will come to the meetingwith a constructive attitude so that a comprehensive,sustained and result-oriented dialogue process can beresumed".

Pakistan, Basit said, has "always strived for normaland good neighbourly relations with India".

"To this end, it is necessary that all the outstandingissues between the two countries, including the Jammu andKashmir dispute, are resolved through dialogue," he said.

The Foreign Secretaries are expected to meet duringFebruary 6-7 to discuss ways to revive the peace process thathas been stalled since the Mumbai attacks in November 2008.

The parleys are expected to pave the way for ForeignMinister Shah Mahmood Qureshi''s visit to India in March.

India suspended the composite dialogue process in thewake of the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.

It has linked the resumption of dialogue to Pakistantaking action against the perpetrators of the attacks andwinding up terrorist infrastructure on its soil.

Pakistan has been pressing for the unconditionalresumption of the composite dialogue to resolve alloutstanding matters, including what it describes as the "coreissue" of Kashmir.