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China welcomes Modi-Sharif meeting

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (R) talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Lahore, Pakistan, December 25, 2015.

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Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhury described it as “a goodwill visit” that helped pave the ground for a highly anticipated meeting in January between the countries’ top diplomats.


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According to The Los Angeles Times, with his Lahore visit Modi “breathed new life into a long troubled” relationship.


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Modi’s stunning decision to drop in for talks with Pakistan’s leader – something ex-premier Manmohan Singh failed to achieve in 10 years of power – was roundly welcomed in India where it was seen as a highly calculated personal gamble.

To a query on former journalist Sudheendra Kulkarni who has urged Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray to visit Pakistan, Raut dismissively said “nobody knows or has heard of Kulkarni”.

Major political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, had the consensus on peace and enhanced people-to-people contacts between Pakistan and India, Sartaj Aziz said while talking to a private television channel.

Observers say that current quick rather dramatic improvement in Pakistan-India ties is not simply a result of diplomatic channels of two countries but United States, United Kingdom and Germany have also played key role in these achievements.

Mr. Modi said in Kabul that Afghanistan will benefit when terrorism is contained and doesn’t dictate the choices its citizens make.

Pakistan rejects the accusation but it has struggled to turn around perceptions in Afghanistan, where social media users sent out a stream of glowing commentary on Modi’s visit, contrasting the parliament building with the destruction wrought by Taliban suicide bombers.

In Pakistan, opinion polls have shown the population largely backing efforts to bring peace between the neighbours that have fought three wars, along with countless close calls, since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. Mr. Modi and Mr. Sharif saw each other in November 2014 at a South Asian summit in Nepal, but managed only a handshake.

China has growing economic ties with both India and Pakistan.

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During Modi’s surprise visit, the two prime ministers met at Sharif’s residence.

Modi Sharif