President, PM urge progress in talks

Published September 4, 2004

ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday reviewed the progress of the ongoing composite dialogue with India at a meeting called to 'delineate a strategy' for carrying the process forward.

They were given an indepth briefing on various aspects of the process by Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar, said an official statement.

"The president and the prime minister emphasized that progress on all issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir issue, was essential. They reiterated that Pakistan was seriously committed to promotion of peace and stability in South Asia, which was essential for the development and prosperity of the people of the region," said the statement issued by the foreign office.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Aziz, at a meeting with Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Muhammad Anwar Khan, reiterated Pakistan's resolve for a peaceful settlement of the issue.

The premier said: "It has always been Pakistan's endeavour to get this issue resolved peacefully through negotiations in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir."

He expressed the hope that the upcoming two-day meeting of the foreign ministers of the two countries in New Delhi would find a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

He said that Pakistan would continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to the people of Kashmir in their struggle for the resolution of the issue in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

He said that sacrifices rendered by the people of Kashmir for their just cause of self-determination would not go in vain.

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