Let's agree on adequate nuclear safeguards: Sonia

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 14. The Congress today impressed upon the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the need for two countries to agree on adequate nuclear safeguards and to work for peace in the interest of the people of both the countries.

The party's view was articulated by its Chief and Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, at a 25-minute meeting between the three-member Congress delegation and Gen. Musharraf.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and the chairman of the AICC's Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Natwar Singh, accompanied Ms. Gandhi to the meeting with the Pakistan President at the Rashtrapathi Bhawan.

Ms. Gandhi stressed the need both the sides to stick to the commitments made in the Shimla Accord and the Lahore Declaration . ``The Shimla and Lahore Accords must form the basis of bilateral dialogue,'' Ms. Gandhi reportedly told the Pakistan President.

Welcoming the General's visit to the country, she said the Con gress fully backed the Prime Minister's initiative and said that it was in line with the party's long-held view on the need for a meaningful dialogue with Pakistan.

During her interaction with Gen. Musharraf, she also expressed the hope that the outcome would be positive and that it would ``start the process for good neighbourly relations between the two countries''. Gen. Musharraf told Ms. Gandhi that he hoped that both the sides would adopt a flexible attitude and approach the summit with an open mind.

``Both sides must appreciate each other's compulsions,'' he told the Congress delegation.

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