Wagah, June 30
The Pakistan High Commissioner-designate to India, Mr Aziz Ahmed Khan, who crossed over to India along with his wife and staffers through the Wagah joint checkpost, today announced that with a view to creating thaw in the region, Pakistan was ready to hold talks with India at any time and any place to resolve all issues, including Kashmir.

Talking to the Press here, Mr Khan said after taking over his new assignment he would give top priority to bringing normalcy in the relations so that both neighbouring countries could live in a congenial atmosphere. Giving clear indications that Pakistan wanted to hold talks on equal footing, Mr Khan said: “Let the internationally recognised sovereign equality be established for resolving all the ticklish issues.” Replying a question, Mr Aziz said Pakistan would welcome talks with India at any level. He said Pakistan had been expressing this desire for a long time which was repeated at the highest level many times. He said the process for the talks had already been initiated which was a good omen for creating permanent peace in the region.

Evading a direct question on cross-border terrorism, Mr Khan said Pakistan had been “inviting international inspection to verify the allegations....UN observers are there who can go and see for themselves on both sides of the line of actual control and we will welcome them.” Despite repeated question on the recent ‘Fidayeen attacks’ on the Army camp in Jammu, Mr Khan said: “Let me take over the new assignment first.”

When asked whether he expected any breakthrough in the bilateral relations during the forthcoming Foreign Secretary-level talks in Kathmandu (Nepal), Mr Khan said Pakistan was ready for the same. Answering another question on the over-flights, Mr Khan said the proposed meetings between the civil aviation authorities of both countries would resolve the matter. When his attention was drawn to the proposed resumption of the Delhi-Lahore bus service, Mr Khan said he was hopeful that it would be started shortly.