Talking to the media at Lahore airport before her departure for New Delhi to take part in the July 27 Pak-India ministerial meetings here Tuesday, she said that Pakistan and India both wanted durable peace in the region which was vital for development and prosperity in both neighbouring nations.
The foreign minister said that the dialogue process had resumed between the two countries after its suspension in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, adding both countries were committed to result-oriented dialogue.
Khar said that the bilateral dialogue enjoyed the backing of President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, PML-Q President Ch Shujaat Hussain as well as all opposition leadership including PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
To a query, she said the upcoming minister level dialogue would yield positive results, expressing hope the dialogue would achieve a breakthrough.
To another query, the minister said the Kashmiri leadership should be involved in the dialogue on Kashmir to make the process credible and result-oriented.
Responding to a question, she said that history should not be a burden but a motivator and "we should pin hopes on the future outcome".
"The bilateral dialogue is being held on equal footing and all longstanding issues including Kashmir will be taken up at the dialogue", the minister added. The minister said that Pakistan believed in the resolution of the Kashmir issue as per wishes of Kashmiris for the right to self-determination in the light of UN resolutions, adding that Pakistan's stance on the Kashmir issue was quite clear to the world.
Khar said that terrorism was an international phenomenon, stressing that Pakistan had suffered most for being the frontline ally in the war against terror.
The foreign minister said that the engagement at the minister's level would augur well and resolve problems in both countries, adding that all outstanding issues including Kashmir related confidence building measures would be discussed during the meeting with her Indian counterpart S M Krishna.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011