The Hindu : Joint statement `historic and momentous'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 08, 2004

International

International - India & World

Joint statement `historic and momentous'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD JAN. 7. The Foreign Ministers of the United States, the United Kingdom and China have described the joint press statement issued after the meeting between the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, as "historic and momentous" and hoped that the commencement of composite dialogue would result in the resolution of all their differences including Jammu and Kashmir.

The Ministers telephoned the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri, and congratulated him on the successful conclusion of the SAARC summit and the positive movement on India-Pakistan front. The United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell, called up Gen. Musharraf and exchanged notes on the events.

The British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, telephoned Mr. Kasuri last evening. Welcoming the recent developments in South Asia, he hoped that the commencement of the dialogue would help resolve all issues including Jammu and Kashmir.

The Chinese Foreign Minister, Li Zhaoxing, telephoned Mr. Kasuri from Comoros to welcome the decision to start a composite dialogue in February 2004. He told Mr. Kasuri that the thaw between Pakistan and India as well as the SAFTA Agreement served the common interests of Pakistan, China and the entire region.

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