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PM for economic ties with Pak

January 28, 2004 20:44 IST

As India and Pakistan prepare to hold dialogue in February, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Wednesday called for bilateral economic cooperation and offered to sell foodgrains to Islamabad.

Pakistan was insisting on talks only on Kashmir issue, but India has offered to have dialogue on all issues, including "love, cooperation and goodwill", he said making it clear that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of the country and "Pakistan cannot snatch away the state through war."

"We told Pakistan that we have been fighting for the last 50 years. We fought three wars. How long can we fight? You can change friends but not neighbours," Vajpayee said addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in Dehra Dun.

Suggesting economic cooperation between the two countries, he offered foodgrains to Pakistan. "Aap anaj bahar se mangate hain. Hamare pass anaj bahut hain. Ham appke

darwaze par bhandar laga denge. Jo appke pass hai, use ham kharidein, jo hama re pass hai use aap lein (You bring food from abroad. We have food in abundance. We offer you food-grains, whatever we have you buy, whatever you have we would take)," he said.
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