Himalayan News Service

New Delhi, April 19:

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh came in for warm praise in the India media today for their sincerity to pursue a path of peace after decades of hostility. “Well played general,” said the Times of India in its editorial, praising Musharraf for his admission before Indian editors that the peace process between New Delhi and Islamabad was fairly irreversible. Musharraf ended a three-day visit to New Delhi yesterday, watching the last of one-day cricket matches between India and Pakistan and holding extensive discussions. Hindustan Times highlighted how far down the road the two countries had travelled in just about a year’s peace engagement.

According to The Indian Express, the greatest gain from the Musharraf visit was a realism firmly attached to negotiations between the leaderships of the two nations. The Hindu highlighted the positive steps on commercial relations taken by the two sides during Musharraf’s visit. The Asian Age said the sincerity of Manmohan Singh had won the trust of the Pakistan president, who made it clear that he was more than willing to do business with the Indian prime minister. The Tribune said the visit of the Indian cricket team to Pakistan and the reciprocal tour by the Pakistanis brought to the fore the latent goodwill of the people of the two neighbours.

Annan lauds joint statement

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has welcomed the joint statement issued by India and Pakistan following talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf in New Delhi declaring the bilateral peace process as irreversible. “The secretary general supports the efforts by India and Pakistan to advance the dialogue,” his spokesperson said. — HNS