India has vital interest in peace with Pakistan: Singh

India has vital interest in peace with Pakistan: Singh

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan SinghManmohan Singh on Tuesday said India has vital interest in trying to make peace with Pakistan but it takes two hands to clap.

Responding to a debate on the president’s address in the Lok Sabha, Singh said: “If the leadership of Pakistan has courage, determination and statesmanship to act against terror, I assure them we will meet them more than the half-way.”

“I do hope the Government of Pakistan will create an atmosphere where we can reach the goal of peace,” he said, adding it is in the interest of New Delhi to see that there is regional peace and stability.

“India cannot realise its ambitions unless there is peace, prosperity and stability in South Asia as a whole. If our neighbourhood is suffering from instability and turbulence, it has a direct bearing on our evolution as a democratic polity committed to the sustained growth and development,” Singh said.

He said he had a “vision for a transformed” South Asia from poverty to prosperity and from insecurity to lasting peace because what was at stake was the future of 1.5 billion people living in the region.

“We expect the Government of Pakistan to take strong, effective and sustained action to prevent terrorism and use every mean at its service to bring to justice the perpetrators of terror attacks, including the Mumbai attacks,” Singh said.

Referring to China, he said India will work to resolve the boundary issue while ensuring its territorial integrity and security. “A strong and stable relationship with China is in mutual benefit... I do not see the relationship in an antagonistic manner...India has a multi-faceted relationship,” he added