Let's get down to business & start talks: Pak
Monday, June 9 2003 22:14 Hrs (IST)
Islamabad: Accusing India for the delay in commencement of peace talks between the two countries,
Pakistan on June 9 said New Delhi should get its "act" together and "speak in one voice" to
resume "unconditional" dialogue.
"The Indian leadership should put its act together and speak in one voice. We hear about the internal
dissension about the normalisation of relations with Pakistan and that is worrying," Pakistan's new
Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan, who succeeds High Commissioner to India-designate Aziz
Ahmad Khan, said.
Claiming that the Pakistani leadership has been "very constructive, forward looking and positive in their
approach towards resumption of dialogue", he said, "Unfortunately, we haven't seen the same sort of
tone from Indian leadership."
He also accused the Indian leadership of trying to introduce conditionalities before the commencement
of talks.
"Lots of conditionalities are being introduced in the process that has been initiated. They are all coming
from India. As far as we are concerned we are saying that no conditions.
"Let us resume talks and let us do so quickly. We are not going into modalities, the level and size of the
table and so on. We are saying let's get down to business and start talking to each other," he said,
adding the statements emanating from New Delhi has not helped the dialogue process.
Masood Khan said he believed the new engagement between the two countries was at an
"embryonic" state.
"We hope that the engagements between Pakistan and India would be more intense,purpose-oriented and in a time-frame," he said, hoping better "vision" will prevail in New Delhi and Indian leaders would help keep momentum for an intense and purpose-oriented process of dialogue.
About resumption of air links with India, he said Pakistan has not attached any conditions for activation of air or rail links.
However, as it is a technical matter, the civil aviation authorities of the two countries will have to sort out some technical details before they agree to the full resumption of the air links.
In fact, Pakistan desires quick resumption of air, rail and bus links without conditionalities, he said.
To a question, Aziz Khan, who introduced Masood Khan to the media, said he would soon be leaving for New Delhi to take up his responsibility as Pakistan's High Commissioner to India.
PTI
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