Press Statement
Pakistan Foreign Minister Mr. Kasuri’s breakfast meeting
with Shri L.K. Advani

Mr. Khurshid Kasuri, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Mrs. Kasuri and his delegation from Pakistan had breakfast this morning at the residence of Shri L.K. Advani, Leader of the Opposition (Lok Sabha). Mr. Shahid Malik, high commissioner of Pakistan in New Delhi, was also present.

Shri Advani’s visit to Pakistan two years back had been undertaken in response to an invitation from Mr. Kasuri.

Mutual warmth and cordiality marked the discussions that took place at the meeting.

In the course of the discussion, Mr. Kasuri complimented the NDA Government, under the leadership of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for its initiatives towards bringing about normalcy between India and Pakistan. He expressed the hope that even though the BJP is now in the opposition, its support to the peace process would continue.

Shri Advani thanked the Pakistani foreign minister for appreciating the NDA Government’s role in respect of Indo-Pak relations. He reaffirmed the BJP’s commitment to the continuation of the peace process on a principled basis “whether we are in the opposition or in government”. He said, “Ever since my meeting with Sir Barrington, the British High Commissioner in Islamabad who called on me in 1989, when I was the president of the BJP, I have been influenced by his observation that the chances of Indo-Pak relations improving are maximum if the BJP comes to power. We demonstrated this during the six years of the NDA rule from 1998-2004. In fact, I shared this with President General Musharraf when he came to New Delhi in 2004 after the UPA government assumed office.”

Shri Advani explained to Mr. Kasuri that Indian politics revolves mainly around domestic issues and not on foreign policy matters. “However, issues relating to Indo-Pak relations are different. Even the common man in India is conscious of most problems between our two countries and has a definite viewpoint on how to normalize our bilateral relations. Therefore, whichever government is in office, it must take decisions keeping in mind how the people react.”

Shri Advani emphasized that, from the point of view of the Indian people, “the two most important issues affecting Indo-Pak relations are cross-border terrorism and Jammu & Kashmir. Our people will not accept any compromise on terrorism or any surrender on Jammu & Kashmir.”

The former Deputy Prime Minister cautioned against any haste in resolving the Jammu & Kashmir issue. “There are eight issues in the ongoing composite dialogue process between India and Pakistan. These pertain to enhancing trade and economic cooperation, people-to-people contacts and specific confidence-building measures, besides J&K. The term ‘peace process’ embraces all these issues. Let us, therefore, make progress on all these various issues without attempting to arrive at a quick-fix solution to the J&K issue.”

Shri Advani urged the Pakistani foreign minister that Islamabad should honour its commitment to fully dismantle the infrastructure of cross-border terrorism, which is located on Pakistani or Pakistan-controlled territory and is aimed against India.

Shri Advani expressed appreciation over the Pakistani Government’s initiative to renovate the historic Katasraj Temple near Lahore and to invite 150 pilgrims from India to visit the shrine on Maha Shivratri day.