New Delhi: Voicing confidence that the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit in Islamabad attended by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee next month will be "important", Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri today (Dec 20, 2003) hoped it will result in "something more concrete".

Kasuri also felt there is a great opportunity for India and Pakistan to have peace and tackle the "real hard issues".

"The SAARC summit should not just generate the feelings of friendship, which I hope it will. Even if it does that, it will achieve its purpose. I hope it will leave something more concrete," he told NDTV 24x7.

"I don't to wish to say at this time. I have something in my mind. I don't want to go on record because if it does not happen, I will be disappointed and so will be others. I have a feeling that this SAARC summit is going to be an important summit," he said.

Kasuri contended that he has not seen any opposition "in our ranks" in the Jamali Government. "I also feel that India has a hardline party…BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) is considered hardline in Pakistan."

Observing that in Pakistan, there is an "elected Government", he said even if the Legal Framework Order (LFO) issue is settled with the Opposition, Musharraf will be the Chief of Army Staff and he will be the President of Pakistan.

"Then we have a political Government backed totally by a sitting Chief of Army Staff and here you have a hardline Government in India. This is a great opportunity to have and tackle the real hard issues," he said.

PTI