India's PM Singh offers peace treaty to Pakistan

In a major development, India's prime minister Manmohan Singh today offered a "treaty of peace, security and friendship" to Pakistan as a culmination to an ongoing peace process.PM offers Indo-Pak treaty

If successful, Singh's proposal would mark the end of over 50 years of hostility between the two countries, and a major triumph for world peace...if it works.

Singh said that it was "a mistake" for Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to link the peaceful relations of the two countries with the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir issue , but also said that India was not afraid of discussing pragmatic, practical solutions to it.

"I have a vision that the peace-making process must ultimately culminate in our two countries entering into a treaty of peace, security and friendship to give meaning and substance to our quest for shared goals," Singh said. "I make this offer to the people of Pakistan on this historic occasion. I am sure the leadership of Pakistan will reciprocate."

The prime minister said, "The time has come to leave behind the animosities and misgivings of the past and to think the unthinkable."

Singh complimented Musharraf for taking "bold steps" to curb extremism but said, "More needs to be done in the interest of both India and Pakistan."

Your turn, Mr. Musharraf.