India and Pakistan yesterday reaffirmed their commitment to promote peace and mutual trust and resolve all the outstanding issues, including Kashmir through bilateral negotiations.
The Prime Ministers of the two countries who spoke on the hotline expressed hope that the foreign secretary level talks in Islamabad in the next four days would result in substantive and meaningful dialogue on all issues.
The two foreign secretaries have clear directive from their respective Prime Ministers to identify the issues and set up working groups.
I K Gujral who put the call through signalling the revival of the dormant hotline, wished success for the talks and expressed his resolve to continue efforts for the promotion of good neighbourly relations between the two countries, official sources said.
During their five to six minute conversation, Nawaz Sharif reciprocated Gujrals sentiments and assured Pakistans commitment to work for the resolution of all outstanding issues between the two countries, including Jammu and Kashmir, reports from Islamabad said.
The revival of the hotline, which once existed between the then Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto, signifies the spirit of peace and mutual trust to which the two leaders were firmly committed, observers said.
The decision to revive the hotline was taken by Gujral and Sharif during their meeting in Male on May 12.
The two leaders had also directed their respective foreign secretaries to identify issues between the two countries and set up working groups.
