Pak appreciates India’s ‘change in thinking’: Qureshi
By ANISunday, May 2, 2010
ISLAMABAD - Describing the meeting between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh with his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani on the sidelines of the XVIth South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit in Thimphu as a ‘concrete’ development, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Islamabad appreciates New Delhi’s changed stance on pending issues.
“The change in Indian thinking has to be appreciated,” Qureshi told media persons during a press briefing about the SAARC summit.
“It exceeded our expectations. It is a concrete development and we’ll build on it,’ he added.
Responding to a question, Qureshi said as far as all issues are being discussed between the two neighbours, the resumption of so called ‘composite dialogue’ was not important.
“What’s in the nomenclature, it is not important; what are important are the issues. All eight segments being discussed in the composite dialogue will be part of the talks,” The Dawn quoted Qureshi, as saying.
He added it was not important to name any future deliberations between both countries as a ‘composite dialogue’, but the intent is to discuss all outstanding issues like Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek and water distribution.
Qureshi emphasised that a change in the title of a dialogue between India and Pakistan is in national interest.
“What I’m advocating is in national interest; otherwise I wouldn’t have done so,” he said.
Qureshi, however, evaded a question about the ‘thinking afresh’ remark made by External Affairs Secretary Nirupama Rao after talks between the two Prime Ministers. (ANI)
