Islamabad, Apr 5: British Prime Minister David Cameron today called on India and Pakistan to strengthen their peace process and trade relations, saying the time is ripe for the two countries to replace the mistrust of the past with opportunities for mutual progress.
 Cameron, who made a day-long visit to Islamabad at the invitation of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, said Britain wants a strong relationship with both India and Pakistan.
 He lauded the meeting between the Prime Ministers of the two countries on the margins of the cricket World Cup semi-final on March 30 as "a tremendous sign of hope for the future".
 "I believe the time is ripe for your countries to look even further beyond what divides you and embrace what unites you," Cameron said while addressing students and faculty at Comsats University.
 "Two democracies, with young, ambitious populations and all the potential in the world – and you live side-by- side. The opportunities for mutual progress are simply enormous," he said.
 Cameron acknowledged that there were "some who claim that in this part of the world, Britain will always side with India, and that can be a source of tension".
 Noting that the approach of choosing sides is wrong and "driven by old-fashioned thinking", he said, adding this was a hang-up from the Cold War which "I don’t have".
 "So yes, India is very important to the UK. Pakistan is very important to us too. We don’t have to choose between a strong relationship with either Pakistan or India – we want a strong relationship with both," he said.
 He pointed out that Pakistan today represents "just one per cent of all India’s trade".
 Cameron said according to experts the potential is there to expand this by as much as 50 times. "Just think what that would mean for jobs, investment and living standards," he said.
 "And then there's the thing you can never put a price on....A stronger relationship between your countries addressing all the security concerns on both sides would mean peace and security for your people," the British leader said.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 5 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
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