New Delhi, May 6: Contending that the relations with Pakistan had undergone “transformation”, India Thursday said it had decided to have dialogue after assurance at the level of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani that India’s “core concern” with regard to terrorism would be addressed adequately.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said he would talk to his counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi tomorrow, in pursuance to the decision by the Prime Ministers of the two countries in Thimphu last week, to discuss modalities for reducing the “trust deficit” that has been nagging the ties.
“Indeed, I am talking to my Pakistan counterpart tomorrow (over phone),” he told the Rajya Sabha while responding to clarifications from members on the Prime Minister’s visit to Thimphu where he met Gilani on the sidelines of SAARC Summit. The telephonic talk between Krishna and Qureshi will be in pursuance to the decision of the two Prime Ministers that their Foreign Ministers and Foreign Secretaries would work out modalities for addressing the trust deficit.
“An ideal situation has come about (for dialogue). Transformation has come about in our relations (with Pakistan),” Krishna said referring to the meeting between Singh and Gilani in Thimphu where the two sides decided to resume dialogue.
Giving the sense of Singh-Gilani meeting, Krishna said the “mood, ambience, and tone and tenor of the Pakistan Prime Minister was indeed encouraging” at the meeting.
He said Singh put across India’s “core concern” about terrorism and the Pakistan Prime Minister gave assurance that the concerns will “certainly” be responded and “met adequately”.
In the light of “this assurance at the level of the Prime Minister, we will proceed in the matter,” Krishna said.
After the end of Parliament session tomorrow, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is expected to travel to Islamabad some time later this month to discuss modalities for the dialogue process.
The decision that the foreign ministers would discuss modalities for reducing trust deficit was taken at last week’s meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistan counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani at the Butanese capital Thimphu on the sidelines of the SAARC summit.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 6 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 6 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 May 2010 00:00:00 IST