Unlike Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had declared that he would 'retire' if he failed in his latest peace bid, his Pakistani counterpart Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has said he would try again.
In an interview to the Khaleej Times published on Monday, Jamali said he would lead the Pakistani side at the summit talks with Vajpayee but would not quit trying if the parleys failed to resolve the Kashmir dispute.
"The mechanics (for the summit) have to be worked out. We are inching towards a rapprochement step-by-step. A few step have been taken by us and a few by India," he said.
"Kashmir remains a principal issue. If other countries can come together and talk among themselves, why can't India and Pakistan do so?" he asked.
"Well-wishers of Pakistan and India have been trying to bring the two countries to the negotiating table," Jamali said adding that there was, however, no pressure on Pakistan from the US.
"There is a difference between involvement and facilitation. The US has is trying to facilitate a dialogue between Pakistan and India, between myself and Vajpayee," he said.
Hoping that the Indian leadership would 'see reason' and agree to resolve all outstanding bilateral issues with Pakistan, Jamali said it would be in the interest of the peoples of the two countries as well as for the sake of a peaceful, stable and forward looking South Asia.
On Pak-US ties, he said, "The decision to offer support to the US in the fight against terrorism is mutually beneficial and in our national interest. Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism and our efforts to rid the society of the menace predate the events of September 11," he said.
Denying there was extra pressure on Islamabad from US to deal with the Al Qaeda, Jamali said the role Pakistan is playing as a frontline state in the fight against terrorism is well known and widely appreciated.
He said that about 500 terrorism suspects have been apprehended by Pakistan security forces since September 11, 2001 and cited the arrests of top Al Qaeda activists like Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Abu Zubaida and Ramzi Al Shibh as 'major achievements'.
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