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Monday, December 23, 2024  
20 Jumada Al-Akhirah 1446  

Indian response for dialogue process still awaited

Indian response for dialogue process still awaitedPakistan Saturday reiterated that Indian response on its road-map submitted during foreign secretary level talks held in New Delhi on February 25 this year, was still awaited.
"Any future meeting between Pakistan and India depends on the Indian response to the proposal and road-map submitted by Pakistan in this regard," said Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit in weekly briefing here at Foreign Office.
Replying to a question about the possibility of a meeting between prime ministers of Pakistan and India on the sidelines of next SAARC summit in Bhutan later this month, the spokesman said "all depends on the response from Indian side on the road-map."
The spokesman said, "Pakistan wants meaningful and result oriented dialogue process with India for a lasting peace in the region on the basis of equality and sovereignty."
He said, "Pakistan has been moving fast on the issue of water but wants to resolve differences with India through negotiations".
The spokesman said water dispute with India was a serious issue for Pakistan and it always remained at top of the agenda in the talks between the two countries.
He said the nuclear security summit being hosted by President Barack Obama in Washington, where Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is leading Pakistan's delegation, was not country specific. He said the world knew that Pakistan's nuclear assets were in safe hands under a very secured command and control authority.
Replying to a question, the spokesman said, Prime Minister Gilani would apprise the international community about the safety and security of Pakistan's nuclear programme.
He said being a nuclear state Pakistan was cognizant of its responsibilities and had developed an effective nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation measures underpinned by extensive legislative, regulatory and administrative framework.
The spokesman said Pakistan had more than 35 years experience of operating nuclear power plants successfully. He further said highly trained manpower and a well established foolproof safety and security culture fully qualified Pakistan for equal participation in civil nuclear cooperation at international level which would help address immediate energy problems and would stability as well.
Answering a question about getting electricity from Iran, the spokesman said due to shortage of energy in the country Pakistan would explore all possible means to get energy from any source and from any country.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2010