New York:
Injecting a new momentum in the peace process which has come under strain, India and Pakistan on Thursday announced a series of confidence building measures, including commencing of cross-LoC trade in Jammu and Kashmir from October 21, and vowed to take ",severe action", against any elements involved in terrorist acts.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and new Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, during their first meeting, decided to give a fresh momentum for an ",an early and full", normalisation of bilateral relations and agreed that the forces that have tried to derail the peace process must be ",defeated.",
Meeting on the sidelines of the 63rd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session at the Millenium hotel where the Pakistan President is staying, the two leaders issued a joint statement, saying that violence, hostility and terrorism have no place in the vision they share of the bilateral relationship and must be ",visibly and verifiably", prevented.
Stressing that forces that have tried to derail the peace process must be defeated, the joint statement said this would allow the continuation and deepening of a constructive dialogue for the peaceful resolution and satisfactory settlement of all bilateral issues, including Jammu and
Kashmir.
The rise in ceasefire violations by Pakistan apparently figured in the meeting with the joint statement saying that the ceasefire should be stabilised and that to this end the DGMOs and Sector Commanders will stay in regular contact.
At his briefing, Menon hoped India and Pakistan would move in ",tandem", in dealing with all aspects relating to bilateral relations.