South Africa today decried the Pathankot air base terror attack by Pakistan-based militants but cited its own history of reconciliation to emphasise that talks were the only way to end disputes between the two neighbours.
The South African government said it strongly believes that there is no alternative to dialogue in order to ensure that disputes are resolved peacefully.
"The South African government condemns the recent armed attack on the Air Force Base in Pathankot, India, and wishes to express its condolences to the families of the victims whose lives were lost during the attack," it said in a brief statement.
"Momentum has recently been built in efforts to enhance stability in the region through dialogue and cooperation and all parties are urged not to allow this event to interrupt or derail the dialogue process and the goodwill created through recent high-level talks," the statement added.
Six terrorists, who sneaked into India from Pakistan, had attacked the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot during the intervening night of January 1 and 2. All the terrorists were killed in a three-day counter operation, which also claimed the lives of seven security personnel.
Referring to its own history of reconciliation to end apartheid peacefully, the South African government said that there is no alternative to dialogue and talks.
During South Africa's apartheid era, Barbados and other Caribbean states were vociferously at the forefront of a determined and sustained global campaign to isolate the country's white racist regime and bring about justice, dignity and freedom for the oppressed black majority.
Apartheid finally came to an end in 1994 when the late Nelson Mandela led the African National Congress (ANC) to victory in South Africa's first free and democratic elections.
The revered freedom fighter then became the country's first black president, five years after being released from prison where he had spent close to three decades for leading the anti-apartheid struggle.
