ISTANBUL: President Asif Ali Zardari hopes India would not escalate the arms race in the region, adding that the government would keep open the option of dialogue without lowering its guard and would welcome the technology like drone predators.
           
In an interview with Turkish Radio & Television, President said India has already increased its defence budget by 30 per cent in the wake of the Mumbai attacks in 2008.
He said that the nations in the region should focus on eradicating poverty and on humanitarian issues like the environment rather than having larger armies.
Zardari was confident that the Indian government would be ultimately engaged in a constructive dialogue.
He lauded Turkey’s role in facilitating dialogue among Afghanistan and its neighbours, hoping that the summit would help achieve the goal of peace and stability in that conflict-ridden country.
He advised the world to beware of extremist mindset. But opined the door of dialogues couldn’t be shut down.
To a question, he termed it a wishful thinking that Taliban would take over Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. -DawnNews