Engagement between Gilani, Manmohan: Mohali a 'win-win' for India, Pakistan: foreign office

Pakistan on Thursday termed the engagement between Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh on the Indian soil after the 2008 Mumbai attacks a 'win-win' situation for resumption of a meaningful dialogue on all contentious issues including Kashmir.
"Mohali was a win-win for the Pakistan-India engagement process," Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said at weekly press briefing while referring to Gilani-Manmohan meeting on the sidelines of the cricket world cup semi-final match at Mohali. When asked that the two leaders had not referred to the Kashmir issue during their talk with the media, Ms Janjua said that "Kashmir was discussed in the context of bilateral relations".
She said, "Pakistan is committed to a constructive, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement with India and the meeting between the two premiers had provided an impetus to the process." "We do not underestimate the difficulties but have faith and confidence in a bright future for the peoples of our region," she added.
When asked if the meeting was the result of a mediation effort by some third country including the United States, Ms Janjua stated that the two sides take ownership of contentious issues and do not need any third party role to resolve their issues. She said that Pakistan was looking forward to a series of meetings that are envisaged between now and July and will culminate in the meetings of the Foreign Secretaries and the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in New Delhi to take stock of the progress achieved, she said.
The relations between the nuclear armed neighbours had touched the lowest ebb in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks or 26/11 in 2008. Prime Minster Gilani had visited Mohali on March 30 on his Indian counterpart's invitation, which is being dubbed as 'cricket diplomacy'.
Prior to PM Gilani, two military rulers General Ziaul Haq and General Pervez Musharraf (Retd) had been to India to witness cricket matches and to re-engage in purposeful dialogue. Responding to a question, the Foreign Office spokesperson said that the issue of the desecration of the Holy Quran by an American pastor had been taken up at the highest level with the international community.
She said apart from telephonic conversation between the Presidents of Pakistan and Turkey, Pakistan's permanent representative at the United Nations had taken up the issue with the UN Secretary General. Meanwhile, Tehmina Janjua confirmed that an Indonesian national suspected to be involved in Bali bombing had been arrested and the Indonesian High Commission would be given access for the identification.