Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said there could not be any “substantive” negotiation with Pakistan unless the “biggest problem” of “trust deficit” was overcome.
In his press conference, Dr Singh said India was willing to discuss all outstanding issues with Pakistan if that country ensured that its soil was not used for terrorism against India.
He reiterated his belief that India could not realise its potential unless it had the best possible relations with its neighbours, particularly Pakistan.
“It has been my effort to try to reduce the gap between our two countries without surrendering or without affecting our vital national interest,” Dr Singh elaborated.
The Prime Minister said both he and his Pakistani counterpart, Yousaf Raza Gilani, had in Thimphu agreed that trust deficit was the major problem blocking progress in moving forward and it should be “our common endeavour to bridge or to reduce this trust deficit, that is why we agreed that our foreign ministers will meet.”
Dr Singh said bilateral relations with Pakistan had not reached a level where India could raise the issue of taking back the areas of PoK.
“There are many issues that we are discussing with Pakistan. Talks could not reach that level to find solutions to the question asked by you,” he said when asked about the efforts made by the government to get back Indian territories under Pakistani occupation.
Earlier, in his opening statement, which was taken as read, Dr Singh said improving relations with neighbours continued to be of great importance to him.
“I have often said that our real challenges are at home and in our neighbourhood,” he said.
He did not refer Pakistan by name but he said the recent Saarc summit once again underlined the fact that “it was not just our shared past but also our shared future that binds this sub-continent together.”
He also said in the statement that India had been able to improve relations with all major powers. As a member of the Group of Twenty (G-20), India’s views were increasingly sought and heard.