SG/SM/9826
     19 April 2005

Secretary-General Welcomes Joint Statement by Leaders of India, Pakistan

NEW YORK, 18 April (UN Headquarters) -- Following is a statement attributable to the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General warmly supports the efforts by India and Pakistan to advance the ongoing dialogue. He welcomes the joint statement issued by the leaders of the two countries this weekend which outlined additional confidence-building measures aimed at achieving durable peace in the region. In particular, he is encouraged by their declaration that the dialogue had become “irreversible”.

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