Pakistani Foreign Minister speaks on Islamabad's intention to improve relations with Russia

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri quoted Islamabad's intention to improve relations with Russia. The newspaper News published on Saturday an interview with the minister, who stressed that Russia was an important neighboring country that has its interests in Pakistan-bordering states. In his words, "the Russian foreign minister is soon to arrive in Islamabad." At the forthcoming talks, noted the Pakistani foreign minister, Islamabad will outline its stand as regards problems of Pakistani-Indian relations. "I hope our dialog with Russia will be continued, and relations will be improving with time," Kasuri said.

Speaking on relations with India, the Pakistani minister said the leadership of his country hoped that "after a democratic government is formed our relations with India will improve." However, in his words, "there's been no positive reply from Delhi yet." Kasuri believes that the efforts by the two governments should be targeted at economic development and the improvement of the population's welfare, as well as at fighting poverty. But this is only possible if tensions are eased between India and Pakistan, he stated.

Kasuri said Islamabad was aiming at the improvement of relations with India and coming out for the resolution of all arguable issues, the main of which still remains the unresolved Kashmir problem, by means of restoring political dialog. Islamabad does not want war and thinks the new military conflict is unthinkable, the minister emphasized.