Wanting peace with India, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has said he is awaiting the formation of a new government in New Delhi to start a "fresh dialogue" with it.
"Democracies have never gone to war. No Pakistan democratic government has gone to war with India. We've always wanted peace. We still want peace with India. We want a commercial relationship with them," Zardari said.
"I'm waiting for the (Indian general) elections to be over so that all of this rhetoric is over and I can start a fresh dialogue with the Indian government," Zardari told the CNN in an interview yesterday.
Zardari arrived in Washington on Monday for the trilateral summit with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US President Barack Obama today. The trilateral meetings are expected to continue tomorrow.
Obama is expected to do some tough talking with his Pakistani counterpart on the need to take firm action to rein in extremists and also tell Islamabad to shed its "obsession" of viewing India as a "mortal threat".
The trilateral summit is an initiative of Obama, who wants to establish his own channel of direct communication with the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Zardari said: "I'm looking at the markets of India for industrialists of Pakistan and hoping to do the same."
With concerns mounting in the US and the world over the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, Zardari also asserted that the atomic weapons were safe and secure.
"Nothing should concern anybody as far as nuclear arsenal or other instruments of such sort," Zardari said, adding that he has complete authority over the Army and the intelligence agency ISI.
Zardari also said he wants drones to be part of his arsenal so that he can effectively use them in the fight against terrorists in the country.
"I need drones to be part of my arsenal. I need that facility. I need that equipment. I need that to be my police arrangement," Zardari told the CNN.
Pakistan has objected to US misile attacks inside the country and has asked Washington to provide it the drones and the technology to use them. The US has so far not agreed to the demand.
With concerns mounting in the US and the world over the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, Zardari also asserted that the atomic weapons were safe and secure.
"Nothing should concern anybody as far as nuclear arsenal or other instruments of such sort," Zardari said, adding that he has complete authority over the Army and the intelligence agency ISI.
Zardari also said that he wants drones to be part of his arsenal so that he could effectively use them in the fight against terrorists in the country.
"I need drones to be part of my arsenal. I need that facility. I need that equipment. I need that to be my police arrangement," Zardari told the CNN.
Pakistan has objected to US missile attacks inside the country and has asked Washington to provide it the drones and the technology to use them. The US has so far not agreed to the demand.
