
Signalling a change in Pakistan8217;s policy towards India, its new Foreign Minister Mian Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri has said his government accorded first priority to normalise relations with New Delhi and hoped that it would reciprocate in the same spirit.
8216;8216;My top priority would be to improve and normalise ties with India and other neighbouring countries,8217;8217; Kasuri said in an interview to the local daily Dawn today.
8216;8216;We are prepared to go half way or may be even a step further in improving relations with India.8217;8217;
But these relations have to be based on rule of law and mutual respect, he said and hoped that the Indian leadership would respond positively to these sentiments. 8216;8216;India has also to play a role,8217;8217; he said.
Asked to spell out the message he planned to send to India, Kasuri, a senior legislator of the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim league-Q PMLQ government that took over power last week said, 8216;8216;We want to improve relations with India and wish peace and prosperity for them.8217;8217;
8216;8216;We want principled peace with honour and justice in resolving all issues including Kashmir, he said adding that any solution to Kashmir issue would have to take into account the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
8216;8216;The desired objective of solution to the Kashmir8230;can only be achieved through what is acceptable to the Kashmiri people,8217;8217; he said.
Observing that strained relations had cost both Pakistan and India dearly, he said it had a negative impact on the social and economic development of the two neighbours.