New Delhi
1 September 2005
In an unprecedented move, Pakistan and Israel
on Thursday held the first acknowledged high-level talks between the two
countries, in a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey.
The meeting took place between the deputy prime minister and minister of
foreign affairs of Israel, Mr Silvan Shalom, and the Pakistan foreign
minister, Mr Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri.
According to the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs, the meeting was
arranged at the initiative of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and
facilitated by the Turkish government.
Mr Musharraf himself will be addressing the American Jewish Congress
on his campaign for moderation in the Muslim world on September 17 in
New York following the United Nations summit, a move that has been
interpreted by many as a step towards recognising the Jewish state.
Mr Shalom has said Israel hopes that this meeting would herald the
beginning of an open and mutually beneficial relationship between the two
countries. The Israeli ministry of foreign affairs quoted the minister as
saying that "such contacts also help strengthen the moderates on the
Palestinian side -- those who recognise that dialogue and acceptance
must always be preferred to hatred, terror and extremism."
Referring to their choice of venue, the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs
said Turkey was a "Muslim democracy" and "Israel's long-standing
friend". It went on to say that "new opportunities for progress towards
dialogue and peace have been opened up."
Israel has diplomatic relations with only four Muslim countries - Turkey,
Jordan, Egypt and Mauritania. Pakistan has had no diplomatic ties with
israel.
A spokesman of the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs observed that
Israel's relations with Pakistan "won't be at the cost of our friendly
relations with other countries in the subcontinent".
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