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India is serious about dialogue with Pak: Narayanan

President K R Narayanan has said that ''we are seriously interested in opening a dialogue with Pakistan.''

Talking to newspersons on board the special aircraft on his return from a three-day tour of Austria, he said, ''Opening of the dialogue would depend on what system would emerge in Pakistan. So far it is not clear what would be Pakistan's policies and that is why we are a little cautious in opening a dialogue.''

Narayanan said that India has always been willing to have a dialogue with Pakistan but now there is a new military regime in that country. ''We have to see what would be its policies before we can think of starting a constructive dialogue with them. Pakistan is encouraging terrorism in Kashmir and it must stop. We have trust in resuming the process (dialogue),'' he said.

The President said he had explained to the Austrian president and the chancellor about the dangers of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan -- which was the creation of Pakistan -- spreading to the European countries soon.

He said, ''They saw this point and wanted to know whether India would start a dialogue with Pakistan and I told them that we are always willing to start a dialogue with Pakistan, provided they stop encouraging and aiding terrorists.''

''The Austrian president and the chancellor had a better understanding of Asia than many others in Europe,'' he added.

UNI

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