ISLAMABAD – Pakistan wants to resolve all issues with India through talks but dialogue should be meaningful and result-oriented, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Saturday.
while addressing a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Qureshi said, “Pakistan has been consistent in its policy that it wants good neighbourly relations with India and resolve all disputes through talks. But we want sustained, meaningful and result-oriented dialogue.”
Criticising Indian policy of tying up the dialogue to terrorism and the Mumbai attacks, the foreign minister said the two neighbouring countries should discuss all contentious issues.
“When we sit together, we have to discuss all issues. We should not let one incident, an unfortunate of course, have the talks held hostage,” Qureshi said, adding that the normalisation of the relations between the two countries was not only in India’s and Pakistan’s interest but in the interest of the entire region.
Asked would he go to Delhi on the Indian government’s invitation, Qureshi said, “I will go to Delhi and advocate Pakistan’s standpoint for a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue”.
To a question about peace talks in Afghanistan, the minister said Pakistan had earlier said it would facilitate talks for peace in Afghanistan.
“I again reiterate that Pakistan is serious for peace in Afghanistan but it is up the Afghan people to tell us what help they want,” the he said.
