Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday reiterated that all problems between India and Pakistan could be resolved through meaningful bilateral dialogue if only Pakistan took a more reasonable attitude to deal with terrorist elements who targeted India.
“I hope that the world community gets the right message that India is a victim of terrorism. That we have a situation where our neighbour has promised, unambiguously, not to allow its territory to be used for perpetrating terrorist acts directed against India and yet on the ground progress has been rather nil,” he said in reply to a question by this correspondent.
The Prime Minister was returning home after a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Singh said: “We are living today in an increasingly interdependent world and whosoever I meet — the world leaders — I convey to them that all problems between India and Pakistan can be resolved through meaningful bilateral dialogue if only Pakistan would take a more reasonable attitude in dealing with those terrorist elements who target our country.”
His observations came within hours of his address at the Majlis al-Shura in Riyadh, where he stressed that India could walk the extra mile to open a new chapter in relations between the two countries. “If Pakistan cooperates with India, there is no problem that we cannot solve.”
Dr. Singh’s observations at the Shura carry a special significance as they were delivered in the land that is considered the cradle of Islam and where he was bestowed the honour of addressing it.
Emphasising that India sought cooperation with Pakistan , Dr. Singh told the Shura members that India’s objective was permanent peace because it recognised that both countries were bound by a shared future. “If there is cooperation between India and Pakistan, vast opportunities will open up for travel, trade and development that will create prosperity in both countries and in South Asia as a whole. But to realise this vision, Pakistan must act decisively against terrorism.”
Talking to journalists who accompanied him, Dr. Singh said the Saudi Arabian leadership had a better understanding of the predicament India faced in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. “There is a great deal of sympathy and support for India’s point of view that what we are asking for is very reasonable.”
To another query on the possible role of Saudi Arabia, he said that in his discussions with the top leadership, including King Abdullah, he explained the role terrorism aided, abetted in and inspired by Pakistan was playing in India. “I did not ask His Majesty to do anything, but use his good offices to persuade Pakistan to desist from this path.”
Oil price hike
On the hike in petrol prices effected in the budget, the Prime Minister felt a long term view had to be taken, but admitted that any increase in prices did hurt some people. Admitting that the government could not save people from inflation if it followed, all along, populist fiscal policies, he said such policies would lead to erosion in investment climate. “So we have to balance these factors. In the current hike in fuel prices, the direct effect on wholesale price index will be no more than 0.4 per cent.”
Source: http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/02/stories/2010030258330100.htm
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