This was stated by S.M. Krishna, External Affairs Minister of India, at a briefing session with visiting Pakistani journalists' delegation here on Wednesday. He brushed aside apprehensions that India would not like to discuss all the issues and assured that India is willing to discuss all the issues, including the issue of Kashmir, which had caused tensions between the two countries.
Krishna said that issues like poverty, health, education and building of infrastructure should take precedence over the main irritants which could be put on the back burner till such time the atmosphere becomes more conducive. At the outset, he talked about the partition of the sub-continent and regretted that the division had thrown up problems right from day one, ie Kashmir and migration. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost and that was the price we had to pay to free ourselves from British colonial rule.
Relationship between India and Pakistan could grow much faster if we mutually accommodate each other's point of view. India, he said desired peaceful and friendly relations with Pakistan because it sincerely felt that "this would enable both the countries to concentrate more on fruitful issues and economic development" which would ultimately result in progress and prosperity and bring gains to both the countries.
According to Krishna, India has come out of that particular mindset and sincerely wanted peace and cordial relations with Pakistan. "India and Pakistan will have to learn to live as good neighbours," and that could be achieved only by bridging the trust deficit which exists between the two countries. In this connection he recalled that he visited Pakistan last year with this very intention.
Krishna made it clear that peace was not only in the interest of Pakistan but was in the interest of India too because if both the countries remained angry with each other nothing would be achieved for the betterment of masses on either side of the border. We must iron out differences, sooner the better so that both the countries focused on issues which could bring peace and prosperity in the entire region, he added. He, however, admitted that all the problems which have existed between India and Pakistan since decades cannot be resolved in one sitting. For this he suggested: "step by step guarded and forward looking approach."
Krishna made it clear that the core issue from the point of view of India was terrorism. "We were shocked when we learnt that the terrorists involved in Mumbai attack were from Pakistan." Until then peace negotiations between the two countries were progressing satisfactorily but this one incident put the clock backwards. We had to respect and respond to the sentiments of the people here who were absolutely furious and had become hostile. In such a situation no negotiations could be initiated.
He said that India was not satisfied with the slow progress in the trial of terrorists in Pakistan. "It has taken unusually long time," he said adding that it would help us a lot in taking the peace process forward if the trial is completed early. In that case we would be able to show and tell our people that Pakistan has also taken up the matter seriously.
Indian External Affairs Minister said he believed that people to people interaction was necessary and important in reducing tensions and bringing both the countries close to each other. He said that it hurts India when terrorists strike in Pakistan and kill innocent people. He thought a strong political will could bring suicide bombing to an end. Terrorists' activities in Pakistan are unwelcome in India because the same could cause a spillover effect on this side of the border and threaten the lives and property of people here.
Krishna did not mince words in announcing that an early end to terrorism in Pakistan would hasten peace efforts and hopefully bring India and Pakistan close to each other. Better sense and better understanding are required in resolving all the issues which cause unnecessary tension between India and Pakistan. He said he has told his Foreign Secretary to go all out in assuring that India desired to live in peace with Pakistan and was willing to talk on all the issues which could bring the temperature at the forthcoming India-Pakistan Secretary level talk scheduled for February 6.