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             Pakistan's Foreign Minister Calls for Talks with India

   by Larry Freund

   Pakistan's Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, speaking in New York
   Wednesday, called for talks with her Indian counterpart to defuse
   tensions along the two countries' de facto border in Kashmir.
   Foreign Minister Khar accused India of "war mongering" this week, after
   India's prime minister denounced Pakistan for the killing of two Indian
   soldiers near the line of control, or LOC, that separates the two sides
   in Kashmir. However, Khar said Wednesday she still believes dialogue
   must be the means to resolve this or any issue.
   "We will be open to a discussion, a dialogue at the level of the
   foreign minister, to be able to resolve the issue of cross-LOC
   incidents and also to recommit ourselves to respect for the cease-fire,
   because Pakistan is fully committed to respect for the cease-fire of
   2003," Khar said.
   The Pakistan foreign minister made her remarks during an appearance at
   the Council on Foreign Relations, a foreign policy study group based in
   New York. Pakistan and India have fought two wars over Kashmir.
   Questioned about U.S. drone strikes against Taliban militants in
   Pakistan, Khar repeated her country's contention that the strikes are
   illegal and counterproductive. She went on to indicate that the United
   States and Pakistan have, as she put it, come a long way on many
   issues. However, she said they continue to disagree about the drone
   flights.
   "However, we feel that we are moving closer and closer to reaching a
   point where the American perspective is becoming closer and closer to
   Pakistan's. So we have hope there, and we continue to engage with them
   intensively," Khar said.
   Khar said that on each of the points where the U.S. and Pakistan
   disagree, "We have come a long way to move together." And, she went on,
   "this happens to be one of them."
   U.S. officials have not officially confirmed the use of unmanned
   aircraft against militants sheltering in Pakistan, but they are seen as
   crucial to the fight against militants.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/india-pakistan-relations/1585446.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/india-pakistan-relations/1585446.html