Pakistan welcomes Saudi mediation for the restoration of meaningful composite dialogue with India, says visiting Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Qureshi arrived in Riyadh Saturday on a two-day visit to the Kingdom. In an interview with Saudi Gazette, he said: “We would welcome the good offices of Saudi Arabia to play a role in the normalization of relations between Pakistan and India.” On the lingering issue of Jammu and Kashmir, the bone of contention between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, Qureshi said that Pakistan believed that dialogue was the only way forward. “Pakistan seeks resolution of the Kashmir issue through peaceful means and dialogue. We believe that Kashmir is an international issue, which needs to be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions as well as aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” he said. Pakistan is a key US ally in the war against terror and is playing a crucial role in the ongoing efforts to stamp out the menace. Qureshi said that Pakistan has set up a National Counter-Terrorism Authority to effectively deal with the issue on a long-term basis. Qureshi said Pakistan was committed to fight terrorism in all its forms as “the menace poses a serious threat to Pakistan's security.” Qureshi is also expected to hold talks with King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
