Magic of the Maldives: Hopeful Khar says ties with India to improve
She made the remarks at a briefing in connection with the recent South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit in the Maldives. At the summit, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani held talks with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in the island of Addu.
The foreign minister said, “The Thimpu spirit has been converted into Addu hope.” The Bhutanese capital Thimpu was the site of last year’s Saarc summit, where the two heads of government also met.
“We have invested too much in seeking out hostility towards each other and too little in seeking out peace with each other. We want to move forward,” Khar said. Responding to a question regarding Singh’s recent statement that he would only visit Islamabad if certain conditions are met, Khar said the Indian prime minister has to give such statements for the consumption of his public.
She said that both leaders, in their one-on-one meeting that lasted 30-35 minutes, reaffirmed their commitment to the pursuit of peace and discussed all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, in a result-oriented manner. “Kashmir has been recognised as a dispute,” she added.
Khar was also optimistic about ties with the US, saying, “We had a rough patch in our relations in the last few months but we are now pursuing good and friendly relations.” While giving details about the meeting between Premier Gilani and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the foreign minister said that the media had ‘misreported’ the event saying that the interaction was “positive and frank with an honest discussion.”
Commenting on the summit, she said that Saarc countries had agreed for rapid response to natural disaster to meet any calamity with unity while Pakistan had floated the idea of setting up a Saarc regional bank.
Khar also said, “We are actively trying to get gas from wherever possible and the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline and the trans-Afghanistan pipeline are included.”
(Read: SAARC’s 20-point agenda)
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2011.
COMMENTS (20)
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@rehmat:
I have already felt sorry about my mistake. Please read PAKISTAN in place of India.
Thanks Mr Rehmat
I am thankful to various readers of this news for pointing out my mistake.
Equally I feel sorry for my mistake.
I correct it and say "Khar as future Prime Minister or President of Pakistan"
Equally I say she shares her success so far with PM Mr Gilani and Mr Zardari.
Once again sorry for my mistake please!!!!
She's young and she may be a neophyte. She may not have the credentials which other foreign ministers usually have. But her actions and words are showing her to be one of the best foreign ministers that Pakistan has ever had. She's way better than Sherry Rehman or any of the other tired and jaded old candidates for the job.
@jane: I agree with you and am for it. However, we also need some good products to offer to India. Obviously, we don't want a trade deficit running in trillions of rupees if not $. Therefore, we do need a good private industry which can compete with other countries. Compete means good quality, price etc. Certainly, you'll also have to justify why you would buy something from us(pakistan). Please forgive me if I've erronously assumed youself to be an Indian.
At least one good step by the PPP. Thank you! Let sanity prevail!!!
@V K Bajaj (New Delhi): "I personally feel she is the future Prime Minister or President of India."
A Pakistani being a Prime Minister of India? Which world are you living in?
@Azhhar: Let us not be childish by asking for what you will get in return. India had already declared MFN for Pakistan long time back. It is a time to have a forward looking attitude. Hopefully both countries will keep on doing good things for each other and then we can slowly but steadily forget all the bitter memories.
Key to Solution to Kashmir :
pakistan accepting, understanding and publicly acknowledging that whatever the so called 'solution' of so called 'kashmir dispute' will not involve Pakistan gettiong a square inch of Indian Kashmir or India losing a square inch of Indian Kashmir, in any shape or form.
Once that is clearly and publicly acknowledged, all disputes will be solved within 30 days. India can wait, however many more years it may take for Pakistan to understand this simple truth.
@Jack: sir, she is not a neophyte as you have said ....please read her biography available on the internet ...she has been in solid government positions before becoming FM .... and nowhere did she say things would be solved "overnight " as you have written ...she is taking positive steps , presumably one at a time ...is there any other way to get out of this mess both counties have put themselves in ?
i think we should all give her our fullest support ...it wont be easy but it can be done ...what is easy is to criticize .
@A.Khan: sir this is not about competing and all that hate toward each other .... this is if india or pak can offer the other a product equally good than what they would buy from other countries then india and pak can ( not must, but can ) buy from each other at the lower price whereas before they wouldnt because of hatred .
Why has India been named the most favoured nation. What gesture has the government of India showed towards the people of Pakistan. Have they released any of the prisoners who are illegally detained and are rotting away in Indian jails. Have they made a committment to settle the Kashmir issue? What about the release of water? What have they done with respect to Afghanistan?
This just shows how spineless our government is. Actually it is not our government but we are the ones who are spineless.
I am not against India at all. I am not an India hater. I believe that Pakistan and India both have lost so because of their enmity. Spending millions of dollars on arms rather than on healthcare and education. There should be peace between both countries no doubts about that, but peace cannot be achieved by stooping down.
Initially when she was appointed as FM,i had doubt and raised a question why not Sherry Rehman, I hate to say but i have to say I was wrong. She talks sensible,present political dispensation in Pakistan has now blessing of Establishment on certain foreign policy issue. We need to shed the mindset which states that Pakistan only needs talk we dont ,that is wrong and it takes two to tango, no one from both side a holy cow. So lets talk with open mind and heart.
In order to compete india, pakistani private sector has to come forward and become a frontline actor. Govts. dont compete without their well grown economic back. Pakistan has to has gaints like TATA, Birla, Infosys, TCS, Mittal Steel etc.
@V K Bajaj (New Delhi): Prime Minister or President of INDIA?! er how? ;p
@V K Bajaj (New Delhi): Of India???? I assume that was a typo. And I would give Gilani more credit than the lady, however pretty she is. Rather silly to assume that a problem as knotty as Indo-Pak relations get solved when a neophyte suddenly appears on the scene.
One must use the platform sensibly ..and indeed we have made good progress in peace discussion ..i love the words "talks should be result oriented"
@Mushtaq Ahmad Gaadi:
Totally positive attitude.
Your views hints that you have maintained your mind 'hygienic'. Please continue........
I personally feel she is the future Prime Minister or President of India. So far she has achieved success upon the issues where ever she got involved. She is not only beautiful by face but Beautiful at all levels. Best Wishes!
Effort should be made to systematically concentrate on diplomatic front. Not only in case of India, or the SAARC, we need to focus beyond regional level and project Pakistan stance in befitting manner. Whether it is trade, foreign policy or diplomatic ties with any of the country, National interest is always supreme, the approach adopted by all. Appointees at foreign missions should be the individuals with impeccable qualities having grip over national/international requirements. They should have come through CSS Exam and direct political entries be avoided in the national interest. It is the time we should rise above petty personal motives and let us adhere to the rules of games set by ourselves.