Pakistan: Preconditions untenable to resume dialogue

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-04 22:07

ISLAMABAD -- Attaching preconditions to resumption of dialogue between Pakistan and India is untenable, a Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman said on Thursday.

The spokesman made the remarks while responding to the recent statement of Indian Foreign Minister at the weekly news briefing here.

It is through dialogue that the two countries understand each other and can get to the business of resolving the issues facing the region, he said.

He hoped that the two countries would move quickly towards resumption of the dialogue, the News Network International news agency reported.

Pakistan's High Commissioner to New Delhi had a meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary on Wednesday and Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad is having a meeting with Pakistan Foreign Secretary on Thursday. The two countries are using diplomatic channels to see how the dialogue process can be resumed, said the spokesman.

Pakistan is concerned about the United States military surge in Afghanistan as it could increase infiltration of militants and extremists to Pakistan from the Afghan side, the spokesman said..

Pakistan is not comfortable with the term "Af-Pak" and has conveyed its concerns to the US on this issue and that of drone attacks, he said.

Replying to a question, the spokesman said that Pakistan-France talks on the framework civilian nuclear agreement would begin next month and hopefully conclude by the end of the year.

"The agreement would be signed on the occasion of French President's visit to Pakistan later this year," he said.

He said the visit of the US special envoy Richard Holbrooke was aimed at assessing the situation with regard to Internal Displaced Persons.

He said Islamic countries especially Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt are also providing assistance to meet the challenge of IDPs.

The spokesman said President Asif Ali Zardari would represent Pakistan at the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organizations to be held in Moscow in the middle of this month. On the sidelines of the conference he will also have exchange of views with his Russian counterpart.