New Delhi: Expressing surprise over Pakistan objecting to remarks made by External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh that the Simla Agreement has been the bedrock of Indo-Pak relations, India today (May 31, 2004) asked Islamabad to avoid any "uncalled for controversy" and hoped commitment to the composite dialogue process would be respected by it.

"We would like to reiterate that our approach is one of friendship and cooperation," Foreign Secretary Shashank told reporters when asked about the remarks of Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan.

"We hope that the seriousness and sincerity with which we are committed to engagement in the bilateral dialogue process with Pakistan will be respected by the Government of Pakistan, and an atmosphere free from the menace of terrorism and violence created to take forward and sustain the process," he said.

On Singh's remarks that Simla Agreement constituted the basis for India-Pakistan relations, Khan was quoted as saying by the official APP news agency yesterday that "if invocation of the Simla Agreement was meant to maintain the status quo, then that is not suggesting a solution, but a way of perpetuating the problem."

Khan said the status quo is part of the problem. "It is not a solution. It is not a question of which instrument is to be invoked selectively by which party," he said and recalled that there were UN Security Council resolutions, which, he claimed, gave a clear blueprint of a solution.

Shashank said "we are somewhat surprised at the reactions in Pakistan to some of Singh's recent articulations of consistent policies of the Government of India, the policies that have been followed over decades and despite several changes in Government".

Emphasising that the Simla Agreement has been the bedrock of Indo-Pak relations since July, 1972, he said, "It provides the framework for our relations, and commitment both to dialogue for resolving differences and not to take any unilateral actions."

He maintained that Singh has, on all occasions, clearly stated that "we will abide by the framework of the Simla Agreement, all subsequent agreements and declarations and the January 6 joint press statement".

"This fact seems to have been deliberately ignored. Suggestions or inferences that there are differences in intent between these documents, and that some of them would not be given due significance, are obviously erroneous," the Foreign Secretary said.

Shashank said it has been India's consistent policy that "difficult" Indo-Pak issues could be addressed productively only when there was an atmosphere of cooperation, goodwill and understanding.

"These can be generated through enhanced interaction and exchanges. Obviously, we intend to pursue with this approach," he stressed.

Observing that a framework has been laid out for composite dialogue in coming months, he said that process would provide the two sides the opportunity to discuss all these issues and "any unnecessary apprehensions" in detail.

"Till then, it would perhaps be better to avoid any uncalled for controversy in or through the media," he said.