A file photo of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
INDIA: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a statement on Tuesday that India and Pakistan were moving towards normalising the relations between the two countries.
Spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs, Syed Akbaruddin quoting Indian Prime Minister said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during their meeting on Sunday had said all the right things.
PM on PM Nawaz Sharif: He has said all the right things abt Indo-Pak relations. So I hope & pray he does succeed in carrying out his mission
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 1, 2013
Meeting along the sidelines of UN General Assembly session in New York, the two Primes Ministers had agreed on reducing tension in Kashmir. The meeting which lasted over an hour had ended with both sides extending an invitation for a visit to the other.
Responding to a question about the tensions that exist in the Line of Control, Indian Prime Minister said, "the first step has to be peace and tranquility on the line of control and for that we have agreed that the DGMOs of the two sides will meet and work out arrangements."
"It will take time to find out what can be done and what is agreed upon is also implemented upon," he added.
Commenting on whether PM Nawaz Sharif's remarks about the Indian Prime Minister prior to their breakfast meeting in New York had affected their interaction, Singh said that he had learnt to take everything in his stride but Sharif had denied making any remarks.
Responding to a question about if he thought Prime Minister Sharif's statements appeared to be controlled by Pakistan Army, Singh said that Sharif was a democratically elected prime minister and hoped he would succeed in his "mission".
COMMENTS (23)
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Relationship between India and Pakistan depends on various factors like role of Pakistan Army, domestic politics in both countries, Politics by USA etc. both will have to raise the bar and fight all these elements to move ahead. We have a choice of looking back in history ...for decades and keep blaming each other . But past cannot be undone by any means, now. Reality will have to sink into psyche of each individual , non-state actors , so-called cultural organisations etc. Indian National Congress which has upheld the basic values of tolerance, secularism, universal brotherhood is best bet to deal with Pakistan, most other political parties in India are god at lip service, " brave posturing through speeches " and double speak. Ultra right elements in India , lead by Modi, can do more harm than good for regional peace.
@rex minor
You have as much claim on Kashmir as you have over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Ram Janmabhoomi in Varanasi, Constantinople in Anatolia amongst countless other places.
These arethe sins of 'demense', normal relations with the terrorist country. India needs a new Prime Minister!!! Mr Modi perhaps. Pakistan needs a new Prime Minister as well.!! Nawaz Sharif was elected to start a dialogue with the Talibans to secure domestic peace. Now he is looking for a peace with India whosed forces are occupying the Kashmiri land from the last 66 years?
Rex Minor
@saad: I think my day will be made if I can show even a small part on how I/we think in India. The middle class is mostly bothered about raising the living standards for themselves, then what little time is left is given to criticizing our politicians. We have no idea what is going on in Bangladesh or Nepal or Myanmar and we only know so much about Pakistan and so much bothered because of so many wars and terrorists strikes like Mumbai and parliament attacks. It may be true that Indian Army is guilty of LOC violations but I assure you Indian Army can not do anything on its own. Its completely controlled by politicians. While your own Ex Army officers and the world historians have agreed that Pakistan started all wars except perhaps 71 war based on a technicality. Coming to the Kashmir point, I am quite sure that most Indians would happily settle for LOC as the International border if that means end to terrorism and wars. What no government will ever settle for is to let Kashmir on Indian side to be taken over by Pakistan or China for various reasons historical, legal and strategic. Whenever the Pakistan government or the Pakistan army is willing to settle for this compromised position, India will sign on the dotted line. You must realise that India and Indians have nothing to gain from engaging pakistan. It is absolutely no use to us. We dont want Pakistan land, or the people we already have too many or anything there. So why should we not want peace.
Most people forget that peace always come out of barrel. All out open war will bring peace. Before that it is all futile exercise. Mark my word. Read history
@Average Indian: you are wrong its indian army who doesn't want peace.
@Ali Rizvi: Good one my brother from across the border. Peace!
As a Pakistani I seriously hope Modi comes to power in India as he is like NS a business man, and it's on,y business that makes peace. Last time BJP were in power they also had peace talks. Modi will actually do something if it means making money and so will NS.
It's trade and only trade that peace will come.
Pakistan should instead concentrate on relationship with Washington first and once that done then we can work with Delhi
Instead of normalizing relations between Pakistan and India, Manmohan Singh should talk about lasting peace between the two countries and that is only possible when Manmohan Singh talk about normalizing peace in occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
There should be only one point agenda to talk and that is occupied Kashmir and how to give due rights to people go occupied Kashmir.
If Kashmir issue is resolved once and for all, the rest of the issues are not as major as Kashmir issue is and these of the issues can be solved with the passage of time.
@Ali rizvi
Aww. So sweet, after almost exterminating the minorities in Pakistan.
@TJ
Looks like you are in a hurry to leave Pakistan.
The majority of the requests for Visas seem to come from Pakistanis, even though India dwarfs pakistan in terms of population. I always wonder why that is the case ?
Indian PM MMS is too naive to think that NS is in charge of Pakistan.
A work very well done Mian sahab!!May Allah bless you (Aameen).
enough its enough....let the fighting stop and pause terrorism....well make good neighbours together.
well, I assure the Pakistani readers that Indians only want peace (irrespective of whether its Congress or BJP in power) and I am sure most Pakistani citizens also want the same, it is unfortunately the Pakistani Army that does not want it. I dont want to remind ad nauseum that all four wars were initiated by the army and that India has tanks stationed on the border only with Pakistan and China and not with other neighbors. So while we hope and pray that that elusive peace comes and there is one less issue for us to worry about of bombs going off in the market where I goto buy vegetables but I really doubt if it will happen until army wants it. I am sure Mr Nawaz Sharif and Mr Manmohan singh may be very sincerely hoping to achieve it as soon as possible but just the two of them deciding between themselves will unlikely solve the problem.
Excellent! PM Shairif is making good choices with regard to India. We need good relations with our neighbor India for better stability, economy and prospects and less money spending on the arms race. Hope peace prevails between the two countries and one day people from both sides can travel without visa restrictions and fear. Inshallah.
This is very good news. I am very happy to hear this. Whatever people say but there will always be an Indian in a Pakistani and a Pakistani in an Indian.
God did not make borders, mad did.
Dr Singh you have already offended Muslim voters by telling the truth about Pakistan last week. Now no need to please them, let Modi to occupy your office. He will normalise relations with Pakistan.