Pak doesn’t rule out Manmohan-Zardari ‘chance encounter’

“No formal meeting was planned” between them,Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said at a weekly news briefing.

Asked if he was ruling out the possibility of a meeting between Zardari and Singh,Basit remarked that he was “not saying they would not be in the same room”.

Welcoming Prime Minister Singh’s comment that he was ready to go “more than half way” if Islamabad cracked down on terrorists,Basit said the peace process between India and Pakistan should continue as it is necessary for peace and security in the region.

Pakistan “sincerely wanted the dialogue process that was suspended to be resumed as quickly as possible” and was hopeful that the parleys would start again,he said.

The US is pitching for resumption of talks between the two countries. India suspended the composite dialogue which began in 2004 after the 26/11 attacks,blamed on Pakistan- based elements including Lashker-e-Toiba.

India has linked the resumption of talks to Pakistan acting against the perpetrators of the attacks. To a question on addressing India’s concerns,Basit said Pakistan is committed to bring the “perpetrators of this reprehensible act to justice” and is “sparing no efforts” in this regard.

Pakistan is “not apologetic” on the issue of 26/11 and sincerely believes that matters like terrorism and extremist violence can only be addressed through dialogue,he added. At the same time,he said Pakistan wished that India has provided all evidence and information regarding the attacks “in one go”. Part of the information given by India on May 20 in various languages had now been provided in an English translation and Pakistan is now awaiting the remaining material,he said.

“This shows both sides are cooperating and have a constructive mindset about moving forward. It also underlines that bilateral cooperation is so important. Otherwise it will be difficult to address all these issues.”

Basit said there was “no option” but to settle the long-standing Kashmir issue peacefully and through a dialogue. The composite dialogue when it is resumed,should be “sustainable and result-oriented”,he said.

In reply to another question,he said all countries that are friends of India and Pakistan are “trying to help the two countries to resume their dialogue process”.

He dismissed reports about President Zardari’s close aide Salman Faruqui being appointed as Pakistan’s point man for Track-II dialogue with India as “incorrect”.