Thimphu, April 30: Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh of India and Yousuf Raza Gilani of Pakistan Thursday held their first talks in nine months here and agreed to think afresh on how to “honestly” take forward their peace process stalled after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
During their 50-minute talks at Bhutan House here, the two leaders directed their foreign ministers and foreign secretaries to work out modalities to restore trust that could pave the way for “substantive dialogue” between the two countries.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi admitted that trust deficit still existed between the two countries but added that their foreign ministers would help bring the relationship to normalcy.
Singalling a marked improvement in their relations that dipped to a new low after the 26/11 attack, both leaders stressed that the talks were held in a very warm and cordial atmosphere.
The outcome of the meeting has changed the bilateral climate, an upbeat Qureshi said. “It’s good news for the region. Let us be happy with that.”
Rao said Manmohan Singh and Gilani “held very good talks in a free and frank manner” and added that the Indian premier voiced New Delhi’s concern over the slow progress of the Mumbai attackers’ trial in Pakistan.
Manmohan Singh told Gilani that India was willing to discuss all issues of mutual concern but the issue of terrorism was holding back progress.
The focus is on charting the way forward, Rao said.
“It does the relationship no good to get stuck in the nomenclature. We don’t have to get stuck to nomenclature as both sides have agreed to restore trust and build the mutual confidence and that we should do,” she said.
Manmohan Singh and Gilani last met at the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh in July 2009. The meeting led to a contentious joint declaration delinking the composite dialogue process from Pakistan’s actions against terror and the first-ever reference to Balochistan in an India-Pakistan joint statement.
—-Agencies