India, Pakistan Work to Boost Trust

Posted November 9th, 2011 at 7:05 am (UTC-5)
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India and Pakistan are seeking ways to improve bilateral trust as the nuclear-armed neighbors continue to work on a peace process they renewed earlier this year.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and her Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna said Wednesday relations have improved but that there is still work to be done.

They met with other foreign ministers from the region ahead of a summit that begins Thursday in Maldives. The prime ministers of India and Pakistan are also scheduled to hold talks on the sidelines of the meeting, which includes Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Maldives.

Khar said terrorism is a major challenge facing the region and will be one of the topics discussed at the summit.

Krishna and Khar met in July, hailing a “new era of cooperation” between India and Pakistan.

Peace talks between the two countries resumed in February, more than two years after an attack by Pakistani militants in India's financial capital, Mumbai, killed 166 people.

Both sides have pledged to work together to combat terrorism and boost trade.

Last week, the Pakistani Cabinet approved a proposal granting India “Most Favored Nation” trade status, which would remove tariffs and allow the countries to trade on equal terms.