BRUNEI: Indian foreign minister meets Pakistans special envoy in Brunei to fast-track dialogue

Record ID: 1374334

  • Title: BRUNEI: Indian foreign minister meets Pakistans special envoy in Brunei to fast-track dialogue
  • Date: 2nd July 2013
  • Summary: BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, BRUNEI (JULY 2, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) **CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SALMAN KHURSHID AND SPECIAL ADVISOR TO PAKISTAN'S PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS SARTAJ AZIZ, , SHAKING HANDS KHURSHID SPEAKING INDIAN AND PAKISTANI DELEGATES AT THE MEETING AZIZ SEATED INDIAN AND PAKISTANI DELEGATES AT MEETING KHURSHID AND AZIZ SHAKING HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPECIAL ADVISOR TO PAKISTAN'S PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SARTAJ AZIZ, SAYING: "We have reviewed various steps in the confidence building measures and in the composite dialogue that has been going on and discussed ways and means of fast tracking them because there is desire, on part of people on both the sides, to accelerate co-operation." KHURSHID AND AZIZ STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SALMAN KHURSHID, SAYING: "We should also proceed to look at humanitarian issues. I have requested the government of Pakistan to take humanitarian view of prisoners who are fishermen, who stray on other side, and therefore under the law get punished." AZIZ LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 17th July 2013 23:17
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brunei Darussalam
  • Country: Brunei Darussalam
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4QNYHGR083CSI3FGMBMMJI2YN
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid meets Sartaj Aziz, special advisor to Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on foreign affairs in Brunei to fast-track composite dialogue between the two nuclear armed south Asian rivals.
    Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid met Sartaj Aziz, special advisor to Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on foreign affairs, at Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei on Tuesday (July 2) to fast track the composite dialogue between the nuclear armed rivals.
    Khurshid and Aziz are in the city to attend the ASEAN foreign ministers meet.
    This is the first high-level dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad since Sharif was sworn-in as Pakistan's Prime Minister, who called for warmer ties with its bigger neighbour during his election campaign.
    Aziz said there was desire, on part of people, to accelerate co-operation.

    "We have reviewed various steps in the confidence building measures and in the composite dialogue that has been going on and discussed ways and means of fast tracking them because there is desire, on part of people on both the sides, to accelerate co-operation," he said on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit.
    Despite recent strains, India and Pakistan's relations have improved after nose-diving in 2008 when gunmen killed 166 people in Mumbai in a three-day rampage that India blamed on a Pakistani militant group.
    Still the two countries remain deeply suspicious of each other and bilateral relations again soured after killing of soldiers from both sides earlier this year on the border.
    Khurshid requested Islamabad to take a liberal view of fishermen, who stray into Pakistani waters and end up being locked in prisons.

    "We should also proceed to look at humanitarian issues. I have requested the government of Pakistan to take humanitarian view of prisoners who are fishermen, who stray on other side, and therefore under the law get punished," said Khurshid.
    Sharif has promised not to allow militant groups to attack India from his country, and also to give it the most favoured nation status in trade and to speed up the 26/11 trial.
    The two neighbours have fought three wars since the partition of British-ruled India in 1947. India has for years accused Pakistan of supporting Muslim militants and sending them in to the Indian part of the divided Kashmir region to fight Indian forces.
    Pakistan denies arming the militants saying it only offers moral support to the people of Muslim-majority Kashmir.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register