India, Pakistan discuss normalization of ties

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf promised in New York on Friday to normalize the relations between the two nuclear rivals in South Asia and explore possible ways to settle the long-standing Kashmir dispute peacefully.

"Both leaders reiterated their commitment to continue the bilateral dialogue to restore normalcy and cooperation between India and Pakistan," said a joint statement issued after Singh and Musharraf held a one-hour one-on-one meeting.

The meeting, the first since Singh's party won the May elections, took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly annual high-level debate. After the private meeting, the two were joined by other members of their delegations.

They agreed that "possible options for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the issue (of Kashmir) should be explored in a sincere spirit and purposeful manner," said the statement.

They also promised to build confidence between the two countries and study the possibility of building a gas pipeline via Pakistan to India.

"Such a project could contribute to the welfare and prosperity of people of both countries, and should be considered in the larger context of expanding trade and economic relations between India and Pakistan," they said.

"I sincerely believe today is an historic day. We have made a new beginning," said Singh after the meeting at the Roosevelt Hotel in mid-Manhattan.

But the statement did not say what actions the two sides would take to push forward their peace talks, which have to some extent eased the tensions in their relations despite slow progress.

On Thursday, Musharraf said at a news conference that the two countries must tackle their 56-year-old conflict over Kashmir "head-on" and come up with new initiatives.

Source: Xinhua

"How can any confidence, or any normalization take place, without (confronting) any issues on which we have fought three wars and a number of skirmishes? " Musharraf asked.

He also hinted that Pakistan might seek the help of other countries in breaking the deadlock over Kashmir, which was divided between Pakistan and India along a 1972 truce line called the Lineof Control.

"I think the best option is bilateralism. But if bilateralism does not produce results, then we fail. And we failed over 50 years. So what (good) is bilateralism if it fails to produce results?"

Pakistan and India started a composite dialogue process in January when Musharraf met Singh's predecessor, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to address all bilateral issues including Kashmir. The two sides completed their first stage of talks in August. Enditem