Speaking at a dinner he hosted for his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani during the India-Pakistan World Cup semi final match at Mohali, Dr Singh said, a permanent reconciliation is required so that the two neighbours live with dignity and honour.
Later, Dr Singh told the media that whatever be the differences, the two countries have to find ways to resolve them. The Prime Minister said, he held extensive discussions on all outstanding issues with his Pakistani counterpart.
Whatever the differences between our two countries, we have to find pathways to resolve them and Mr. Gilani and I have had extensive discussions on all outstanding issues and we have reaffirmed our resort that there are difficulties in the way but we will make every honest effort to overcome those difficulties.
The message from Mohali is that the people of India and Pakistan want to live in peace and amity and that the two Prime Ministers have committed their government to work in that direction.
In a brief chat with the Pakistani media after his dinner meeting with Dr Singh in Mohali, Gilani described his talks with the Indian Prime Minister as positive and said they discussed all the core issues between the two countries. He said, last night’s cricket match brought the peoples and leadership of the two countries together.
Cricket diplomacy initiated by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh seems to have results as his wide range deliberations with his Pakistani counterpart Gilani have been termed as positive and encouraging. It was a one to one meeting without any pre fixed agenda and it has touched several subjects relevant to bilateral relations, including trade, health and information technology which concerned people of both the countries. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has termed Mohali spirit after meeting of two prime ministers and decisions for carry forward the dialogue process between both countries.