ISLAMABAD,
January 6 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Following the
breakthrough meeting between their leaders, nuclear powers India and
Pakistan will resume stalled dialogue in February 2004, Indian Foreign
Minister Yashwant Sinha said on Tuesday, January 6.
"The
two leaders agreed to commence the process of composite dialogue in
February 2004," Sinha told a press briefing in the Pakistani
capital Islamabad, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The
two leaders also spoke by phone Tuesday when Vajpayee phoned General
Musharraf at the conclusion of the three day summit to thank him for
its success and for arrangements for the Indian delegation, Sinha
said.
In
a joint statement issued after the summit's closure, Vajpayee and
Musharraf agreed violence and terrorism had to end.
"Prime
Minister Vajpayee said that in order to take forward and sustain the
dialogue process, violence, hostility and terrorism must be
prevented," Sinha said, reading from the statement.
"President
Musharraf reassured Prime Minister Vajpayee that he will not permit
any territory under Pakistan's control to be used to support terrorism
in any manner," the statement said, according to Sinha.
'History
Made'
Commenting
on the developments, Musharraf declared Tuesday "history has been
made" in breakthrough talks with nuclear rival India.
"I
am very glad to announce that history has been made," General
Musharraf told a press conference.
"We
have arrived at an agreement on taking this normalization process
forward and setting a framework for taking it to its logical length
and its culmination."
The
joint statement marks a dramatic change from the Indian official
position adopted Monday - even after the historic Musharraf-Vajpayee
meeting Monday.
“It
was a courtesy call as we had requested on General Pervez
Musharraf,” Sinha said and told the questioning media not to expect
much in terms of the outcome of the meeting.
The
Indian Foreign Minister Monday said there was no joint statement,
following the leader's meeting.
“We
should be very careful while making comments about such a high level
meeting,” Sinha has said when reporters drew his attention towards a
statement made by the Pakistani Information Minister.
Pakistani
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has earlier dubbed the
meeting as historic.
“The
two leaders discussed all the issues of bilateral nature. They have
made some concrete decisions and you will see the outcome very
soon,” Ahmed added.
