Qureshi hopes trust deficit will be bridged in Indo-Pak talks

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, May 11 (PTI) Describing his upcoming meeting
with S M Krishna as "an important step forward" in bilateral
ties, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Tuesday
hoped the Indo-Pak trust deficit would be bridged during the
talks, but cautioned against expecting "quick-fix" solutions
to outstanding issues.
"Trust deficit will be bridged by talks during which we
will discuss outstanding issues," Qureshi, who will hold
parleys with Krishna here on July 15, told a press conference
after his 25-minute telephonic conversation with the External
Affairs Minister of India.
However, he said normalisation of bilateral ties would be
an "uphill task" and nobody should expect "miracles
overnight."
"I will not create any false hopes. I am an optimist
yet a realist. I recognise the challenges, I recognise the
difficulties. I recognise the trust deficit. It is an uphill
task.
"Don't expect miracles overnight. Good thing is that
on both sides we have democracies and democracies believe in
negotiations, talks and parleys," Qureshi said adding "we had
a very good discussion and we will build on it. There is no
quick fixes."
His remarks came on being asked about the two sides
reportedly having come close to a deal on issues related to
Siachen and Sir Creek during the earlier dialogue process.
Qureshi made it clear that the two sides were going into
the talks with an open mind and positive approach without
having any false hopes.
Prior to the meeting between the two ministers, Indian
Home Minister P Chidambaram will visit Islamabad on June 26
for the meeting of South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) Interior Ministers. He will be accompanied
by Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who will meet her Pakistani
counterpart Salman Bashir to finalise modalities for the talks
between the two Foreign Ministers.
Qureshi said he would also visit Delhi after his meeting
here with Krishna for the next round of talks.
He described the upcoming talks with Krishna as an
"important step forward in bilateral relations."
The Pakistan Foreign Minister said he had begun
consultations with the civil and military leadership to forge
national consensus on resolving outstanding issues with India.
Qureshi on Monday met a group of former Pakistani Foreign
Ministers and Ambassadors as well as Pakistan's Indus Water
Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah for consultations. He said he
also consulted national security institutions Monday night.



Sources told PTI that Qureshi had on Monday gone to the
Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where he held
consultations with army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI
chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha.
The sources also described Qureshi's conversation with
Krishna as "very positive."
Qureshi said terrorism is an issue that has affected
India and Pakistan and both countries are victim. The best way
forward in tackling terrorism is through mutual understanding
and cooperation, he added.
The Pakistani Foreign Minister said he would be seeking
guidance from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister
Yousuf Raza Gilani on the substantive issues.
He said the approach of India's Prime Ministers Manmohan
Singh and Gilani was "very productive" and their interaction
in Thimphu on the sidelines of the SAARC summit last month was
"frank, cordial and forward looking".
"We will discuss all issues of concern to India and
Pakistan. There was no discussion on structure. I am presuming
both sides are comfortable. Structure is in place," Qureshi
said.
"We will have to sit and resolve. We will not allow
acts of terrorism to impede the process. We will have to build
on it to a level that it (dialogue process) becomes
irreversible," he said.
He said there was no bar on bringing to the table issues
of mutual concern like the water dispute. PTI RHL
MRD