India has urged Pakistan to desist from its posture of compulsive hostility to enable a serious and sustained dialogue between the two countries.

Noting that the country “walked the extra mile in reaching out” to its neighbours, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said, “We earnestly hope that our neighbour would see the merit in constructive engagement and discard the posture of compulsive hostility.”

During an exclusive interview, the Minister said, “Our only expectation from Pakistan is to dismantle the terror infrastructure that operates from the territories under its control. A serious and sustained dialogue can thrive only in a peaceful and terror free climate.”

He also said that terrorism, whether state-sponsored or not, has no place in today’s world and needs to be rooted out through concerted efforts of each and everyone.

In a year-end review of the foreign policy and challenges before India in 2011, he touched upon India’s relations with immediate neighbours, country’s growing economic ties with ASEAN and Korea, and the support India has received for its bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

“Our candidature for permanent membership of UNSC also received greater traction and support of the international community this year,” Krishna said.

Despite differences on a host of issues with China, including Beijing issuing staple visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir, Krishna said the two countries have a “better understanding of each other’s positions and concerns.”

“We also have the confidence, resolve and mechanisms to address our differences peacefully and in a mature manner,” he said.

It was reflected in the collapse of their first ministerial-level talks, after 2008 terror attacks, in Islamabad in July, despite a mandate from both the Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani that the two sides should make efforts to bridge the trust deficit.

On the visit of his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi to India, Krishna said, “I look forward to his visit”, but refused to comment whether it will be this month as indicated earlier.

He also noted that India was willing to discuss all issues with Pakistan through a bilateral dialogue.

In regard to China, the issue of staple visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir remained a matter of concern for New Delhi which saw it as impingement on the country’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

“We are committed to cordial and cooperative ties with our neighbours based on the principles of equality, non-interference and mutual respect,” Krishna said.

However, terming 2010 as “noteworthy” for Indian diplomacy, the Minister said the year witnessed the visits to India by a large number of Heads of State and Government, including all the five permanent members of the UNSC.

Each of these leaders, except for China’s Wen Jiabao, were unequivocal in backing New Delhi for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

The big breakthrough came when US President Barack Obama announced in his address to Indian Parliament on 8th November that he looked forward to welcoming India “as it prepares to take a seat at the UN Security Council”.

Gilani says Indo-Pak dialogue only way forward

Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has said dialogue is the only way to resolve outstanding issues with India as the two countries “cannot afford wars.”

“There is a lot of pressure from the public and opposition on (Prime Minister Manmohan Singh) but I believe that dialogue is the only answer. That’s the only way forward because we can’t afford wars. We must have a dialogue and that will happen,” he said.
Gilani was responding to a question on India-Pakistan ties in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.