India, Pakistan to narrow trust deficit: Qureshi
By IANSFriday, April 30, 2010
ISLAMABAD - A day after the prime ministers of India and Pakistan held talks in Bhutan, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Friday said there was a trust deficit between the two countries that needed to be bridged through confidence-building measures.
“There is a trust deficit. Let’s admit it,” Qureshi told reporters at a press conference a day after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Thimphu.
“It won’t happen tonight. It’s a process. If we allow the process to continue, obviously with the passage of time the trust deficit will reduce,” Qureshi said.
He added that the leaders of the two countries had directed their foreign ministers to narrow the trust deficit.
“I have some ideas. I will discuss them at an appropriate time with my Indian counterpart,” Qureshi added.
In their nearly one-hour talks, Manmohan Singh and Gilani had directed their foreign ministers and foreign secretaries to meet and work out the modalities of restoring trust that could pave the way for “substantive dialogue” between the two countries.
