Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry today said that he has conveyed to his Indian counterpart that Pakistan will welcome the start of the peace dialogue whenever India is ready.
"The two sides raised their respective concerns in cordial and forthright manner," Chaudhry said in response to question on his meeting with Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.
Addressing media after his return from New Delhi where he met Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Conference, he said Pakistan will welcome the start of the peace dialogue whenever India indicated that it was also ready for it.
Chaudhry and Jaishankar met for nearly 90 minutes in New Delhi yesterday during which sticky issues including probe into Pathankot terror attack, 26/11 trial and Samjhauta Express blast investigations figured.
The Pakistani Foreign Secretary once again termed "Kashmir a core issue" between the two countries and demanded that it should be resolved in accordance with aspiration of the Kashmiris and the resolution of UN Security Council.
On the positive side, he underscored that India also feels that dialogue was the only way forward between the two countries.
"There is a realisation on part of India that dialogue is the only way forward to discuss all outstanding issues," he said.
He also noted that both sides agreed that people-to- people contact should remain intact. He said there was a consensus to continue working on humanitarian issues.
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Replying to a question on President Pranab Mukherjee's recent visit to China, Singh said he had held substantive bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and other senior leaders.
"It was emphasised that it is important for both sides to show sensitivity to each other's interests, concerns and aspirations. Willingness was expressed to further strengthen bilateral ties through enhanced exchanges at various levels including at leadership level so as to build greater mutual trust and understanding," the minister said.
