'Zero speed on Kashmir won't help Indo-Pak ties'

"It is not possible to go on supersonic speed on trade and zero speed on Kashmir. The principle of simultaneity mean that you have to talk on all issues with an open mind and open heart. Then it is possible that you can go at 100 miles an hour on trade and 80, 70 or 60 miles an hour on Kashmir," Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri said.

"It can't be at zero miles an hour on Kashmir," Kasuri told the State-run China Central Television (CCTV) in an interview aired today (Apr 11, 2004).

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Commenting on the Indo-Pak peace moves, Kasuri, who was in Beijing this week on his first official visit to China, noted that both countries have taken a number of confidence building measures to ease ties.

"We have started a large number of confidence building measures but in order that they be sustained, the requirement is that there be a genuine dialogue on all the issues some of which have been identified by the two parties," he said.

"We didn't go to war for the resumption of air links, resumption of rail links. Why did we go to war, three major wars, three minor wars and a near war last year, why? It was over Kashmir and not over railway link resumption. So we have to talk on real issues," Kasuri said.

"In order that the confidence building measures are sustained, there have to be progress on all issues...Pakistan is willing to show flexibility, we also hope India will also show similar flexibility," he added.