India, Pak won't be adversaries for ever: envoy

Calling the resumption of the India-Pakistan dialogue a significant development, Pakistan high commissioner Shahid Malik today said the interaction would help bridge the trust deficit between the two countries, which are not destined to live as "adversaries forever".

Observing that as developing countries both India and Pakistan share common perspective on a number of issues, he said, in the fast changing global environment, there was a need to consult and co-ordinate efforts to achieve the goal of peace and development. Malik was speaking at an Indo-Pak business meet, also attended by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.

"Towards the achievement of this goal ... we held a very fruitful discussion recently in Bhutan in Thimphu. It was agreed to resume the dialogue process and that is a significant development," Malik said.

"The agreed road map in Thimphu will see the home minister of India visiting Pakistan along with the foreign secretary later next month, followed by visit of the foreign minister of India to Pakistan on 15 July," he said. Malik hoped that the visits and the interaction between the leaders of two countries that will help bridge the trust deficit and generate enabling environment to take the peace process forward.

"We can remain convinced that Pakistan and India are not destined to live as adversaries forever," he said.

The Pakistani envoy also complimented Mukherjee, saying, "I would like to pay tribute and compliment the efforts put in by the present finance minister and formerly foreign minister of India Pranab Mukherjee."

Asked how his country was planning to tackle terror, Malik said that both sides have agreed that they must do it together and there has to be cooperation to eliminate the menace.