ISLAMABAD/ NEW DELHI, March 20: Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif in a statement today offered to go "an extra mile" towards improving bilateral relations with India and said resumption of stalled dialogue between the two countries will pave the way for redressal of all outstanding issues. The statement comes in the wake of the professed stand of the new Vajpayee Government that it would exercise the "nuclear option", a point which was emphasised by Defence Minister George Fernandes in his first policy statement as he took charge.In a congratulatory message to Prime Minister Vajpayee, Sharif said, "we have a special responsibility to step out of the old mindset of confrontation and tension...I invite you to work closely with us for ushering in a new era of durable peace and stability in South Asia."
"The resumption of the dialogue process between Pakistan and India for redressing all the outstanding issues between our two countries, including a peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, will pavethe way for such an outcome," he said.
"We in Pakistan are ready to go an extra mile in journeying towards cooperative and good neighbourly relations with India," he said adding "our sincerity will be reciprocated in removing the underlying causes of conflict and tension so that durable peace based on justice and equity can be brought to our region."
"A new outlook enthused by ideals of peace and development, this is what we owe to our people," he said, conveying his best wishes to Vajpayee for the success of his endeavours to bring progress and prosperity for the people of India.
The Pakistan Prime Minister's statement is seen by political observers that a saffron government at the Centre need not necessarily mean deterioration in relations with its traditional rival. While taking over, Fernandes said at a press conference that India would not fight shy of inducting nuclear weapons or conducting repeated tests of the Agni ballistic missile "if necessary".
"If there is a need to take hard decisions wewill take them," he added. Though he clarified that "there is no need to go in for testing of nuclear weapons at this point of time," and went on to add that the Government has not taken any decision so far to manufacture nuclear bombs.
Again, on a question regarding the time-frame for the coalition government's defence plan as outlined in the agenda document, Fernandes said: "We will go very fast."
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
