ID :
16297
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 00:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/16297
The shortlink copeid
With Musharraf out, India looks to future
quitting as Pakistan President, India on Monday made clear its intentions to move beyond his era as it said "positive approach" could be made to improve bilateral ties by engagingwith the new dispensation in Islamabad.
"It is an internal matter of Pakistan," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters in Berhampore in West Noting that a process has been initiated to improve ties between the two countries, Mukherjee said India has established rapport with the Pakistan People's Party-PakistanMuslim League (Nawaz) government as well.
"During my visit to Pakistan, I had, in fact, developed a personal relationship with the leaders of that country. From Nawaz Sharif to Asif Ali Zardari and Yusuf Gilani, I have cordial discussions with all of them and it seems to me that a positive approach could be made in improving our relations,"he said recalling his trip in May.
Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma saidIndia will be engaging with anybody in power in Pakistan.
"We will always be talking to government of Pakistan, whosoever it may be, the Prime Minister or the President," Sharma said, hoping that this development "will not affect Indo-Pak relations." Musharraf has been at the helm of affairs in Pakistan for nearly nine years during which the bilateral ties witnessed considerable improvement after an initial phase of bitternessand even a 10-month military stand-off in 2002.
India has been having a "comfortable" working relationship with the Musharraf regime, despite it having themilitary tinge.
Among the significant developments during Musharraf's tenure were the border ceasefire of November 2003 and launch of the peace process and composite dialogue between the twocountries in January 2004.
Under the peace process and composite dialogue process, a number of confidence building measures and otherinitiatives were undertaken successfully to improve ties.
Even cross-border infiltration had been under minimalduring the later part of his term.
New Delhi, which is agitated at the renewed surge in infiltration and ceasefire violations by Pakistan, feels it was easier to work with the Musharraf regime as it was a"single" power centre.
During his nine-year rule, Musharraf visited India twice in 2001 and 2005 besides meeting former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh several times on the sidelines of multilateral fora like the U.N.,N.A.M., Afro-Asia Summit and SAARC Summits.
His first visit to India was marked by the Agra Summitfiasco following differences over the joint statement.
This was followed by a 10-month military stand-off in 2002 after India accused Pakistan of being behind the attackon Parliament on December 13, 2001.
However, relations saw a turn for the better in January 2004 when Vajpayee visited Pakistan for the SAARCSummit.
The Summit talks between Vajpayee and Musharraf were successful and led to launch of the peace process and composite dialogue, which even the current regime in Islamabadis carrying forward.
"It is an internal matter of Pakistan," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters in Berhampore in West Noting that a process has been initiated to improve ties between the two countries, Mukherjee said India has established rapport with the Pakistan People's Party-PakistanMuslim League (Nawaz) government as well.
"During my visit to Pakistan, I had, in fact, developed a personal relationship with the leaders of that country. From Nawaz Sharif to Asif Ali Zardari and Yusuf Gilani, I have cordial discussions with all of them and it seems to me that a positive approach could be made in improving our relations,"he said recalling his trip in May.
Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma saidIndia will be engaging with anybody in power in Pakistan.
"We will always be talking to government of Pakistan, whosoever it may be, the Prime Minister or the President," Sharma said, hoping that this development "will not affect Indo-Pak relations." Musharraf has been at the helm of affairs in Pakistan for nearly nine years during which the bilateral ties witnessed considerable improvement after an initial phase of bitternessand even a 10-month military stand-off in 2002.
India has been having a "comfortable" working relationship with the Musharraf regime, despite it having themilitary tinge.
Among the significant developments during Musharraf's tenure were the border ceasefire of November 2003 and launch of the peace process and composite dialogue between the twocountries in January 2004.
Under the peace process and composite dialogue process, a number of confidence building measures and otherinitiatives were undertaken successfully to improve ties.
Even cross-border infiltration had been under minimalduring the later part of his term.
New Delhi, which is agitated at the renewed surge in infiltration and ceasefire violations by Pakistan, feels it was easier to work with the Musharraf regime as it was a"single" power centre.
During his nine-year rule, Musharraf visited India twice in 2001 and 2005 besides meeting former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh several times on the sidelines of multilateral fora like the U.N.,N.A.M., Afro-Asia Summit and SAARC Summits.
His first visit to India was marked by the Agra Summitfiasco following differences over the joint statement.
This was followed by a 10-month military stand-off in 2002 after India accused Pakistan of being behind the attackon Parliament on December 13, 2001.
However, relations saw a turn for the better in January 2004 when Vajpayee visited Pakistan for the SAARCSummit.
The Summit talks between Vajpayee and Musharraf were successful and led to launch of the peace process and composite dialogue, which even the current regime in Islamabadis carrying forward.
