Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I had an opportunity to discuss the relationships. There have been many efforts over the past year or so, since Prime Minister Singh came into office, to improve relationships. There has been much dialogue in recent months, and even while I was in India there was much coverage in the newspapers of the indication by the President of Pakistan, who was in the United States, that there would be a round of discussions. Like many of these discussions there seemed to be debates about the agenda and how they would proceed. There is an effort to defuse the tensions that have existed in recent years.

Everybody I spoke to in India is more concerned about trying to deal with India's problems and difficulties than building up these tensions. Their stated position was that they would prefer to improve relations with Pakistan and ease the tensions. They do not foresee any changes to boundaries in the future; they just want to stay as they are and build up friendly relations. That was the strong message from Prime Minister Singh.

See this speech in context