Pakistan today said that the forthcoming summit of prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and general Pervez Musharraf would mark "the beginning of a constructive process" and hoped that it would lead to "productive engagement" for a "verifiably acceptable" solution of Jammu and Kashmir issue.
"One should not be euphoric... The summit meeting will hopefully generate a dialogue process," Pakistani high commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi said at a "Meet the Press" programme, organised by the Women's Press Corps.
Dates for General Musharraf's visit have yet to be finalised, he said. Islamabad had suggested any time after June 20 till early July for the summit.
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"It is the beginning of a constructive process," he said observing that there was tremendous enthusiasm in Pakistan.
Insisting on the involvement of the "people of Jammu and Kashmir" in any talks on Jammu and Kashmir, he said, "we believe that there are three parties to the dispute, but we have to have a modality...
"That has to include all these parties," he said when asked whether he saw a role for the Hurriyat Conference in the talks.
"We hope that the summit would lead to a sustainable dialogue that would lead to a solution of Jammu and Kashmir, acceptable to the people of Kashmir," the high commissioner said.
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He reiterated that the resolution of the Kashmir dispute was central to bilateral relationship.
"We have to move forward by addressing this most important issue, which had affected the relationship of our two countries", he said adding "...Ultimately the solution should have to be acceptable to the people of Kashmir."
Qazi expressed the hope that the summit would pave the way for a series of dialogues including one on "the most outstanding" issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Answering a question on how responsive was Pakistan to the conversion of LOC into an international border and whether the 'series of dialogues' could lead to Islamabad's acceptance of it, Qazi retorted "...Our perception is that LOC is in conflict with the aspirations of the people of J and K".
"We want a settlement that is verifiably acceptable to the people of the territory," he said.
He said Pakistan would be approaching the summit in a "very positive" way despite the "huge differences".
"Presence of dialogue always offers a prospect and to that extent I am extremely gratified that the dialogue is taking place", he added.
