India on Thursday rejected the suggestion that it expressed
satisfaction over "the progress on Mumbai trial" in the joint statement
issued after the meeting between external affairs minister S M Krishna and his
Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar on Wednesday. Theclarification came in
the wake of many media reports claiming that India did a 'goof-up' over the
26/11 issue in the Statement which read "The ministers reviewed the status
of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction on the holding of meetings on
the issues of counter- terrorism (including progress on the Mumbai
trial)..."
"We categorically reject inferences that there was any
expression of satisfaction on 'the progress on Mumbai trial. The language of
the Statement is very clear in this regard. The holding of the meetings on
various issues is a step forward given that for over two years, our substantive
dialogue had remained suspended and this has been acknowledged in the
Statement," the spokesperson in the ministry of external affairs said.
It may be recalled that under the resumed dialogue
"Counter Terrorism (including progress on Mumbai trial)" is the
subject of the home secretary-level talks, as announced in the agreed outcome
document after the foreign secretary-level talks held in February in Thimphu,
he said.
The Nation reported that the foreign ministers of India and
Pakistan, at the conclusion of their talks, hailed a new chapter in relations
and agreed to work more closely in fighting terrorism in the region and easing
cross-border commerce and travel.The Dawn said the two foreign ministers
"revived the pursuit of an 'uninterruptible' dialogue process on Wednesday
though both sides were aware of a nagging hurdle — their wavering trust."
"India and Pakistan's foreign ministers insisted
relations were back on track after peace talks that highlighted a 'new era' of cooperation
over the ruptures of the past," the liberal Daily Times reported.
The News said that the two foreign ministers ushered in a
new era of ties between the nuclear-armed neighbours yesterday and agreed to
fight militancy and boost trade and travel, a step forward in reducing tension
in the region.The pro-military Pakistan Observer reported: "Pakistan and
India have agreed to carry forward the dialogue process with a view to
resolving peacefully all outstanding issues through constructive and result-oriented
engagement, and to establish friendly, cooperative and good neighbourly
relations."
After talks between their foreign ministers, India and
Pakistan announced new Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), including
increasing cross-LoC trading days and expanding travel to include tourism and
religious aspects, apart from relaxing permit conditions for travel by people
of Jammu and Kashmir to the other side of LoC by having a system of six-month
multiple entry. minute if they give immunity to Prime Minister."