encouraging news :k:.
INDIA AND PAKISTAN IN TALKS
The leaders of India and Pakistan have spoken by telephone for the first time since war was averted in 2002.
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali for ten minutes.
“The prime minister of Pakistan called our prime minister,” said a spokesman.
“The talks lasted for 10 minutes during which the Pakistani prime minister thanked and conveyed his appreciation for the statements made by our prime minister in Srinagar and later in both houses of parliament.”
The telephone call, a sign of hope for troubled South Asia, was the first between the two prime ministers and the first high-level contact between the two countries for almost a year-and-a-half.
Meanwhile Pakistani state television said Mr Jamali had reiterated that Pakistan was ready to hold talks “at any level” and expressed hope that any dialogue “would cover all issues including the Kashmir problem”.
Mr Jamali invited Mr Vajpayee to visit Pakistan and said he would like to travel to India in the interests of South Asian peace.
The two prime ministers also discussed the possibility of resuming economic, cultural and sports links, the television report said.
The phone call follows recent comments from Mr Vajpayee offering a “hand of friendship” to Pakistan.
