Cricket powers friendship

Cricket provided the backdrop for the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistan counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani, which helped impart a fresh impetus to the people-to-people contact.

Cricket provided the backdrop for the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistan counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani, which helped impart a fresh impetus to the people-to-people contact.

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As the conversation between the two leaders veered around cricket, Prime Minister Gilani pointed out that considering sporting ties promote people-to-people contact, Indian cricket team should consider visiting Pakistan. The Indian side has also invited the parliamentarians from Pakistan.

"This is re-engagement… the understanding generated as a result has a very positive impact on the relationship. It's about peace, it's about healing wounds, it's about reconciliation," foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said.

Manmohan Singh, who has made friendship with Pakistan a top priority, told Gilani that it was important to have "such exchanges" to promote people- to-people contact.

The foreign secretary made it a point to describe Pakistan as a democracy.

Earlier on his arrival at the Mohali airport, Gilani when asked if he would try to move from playing "a one-day series to a longer series" during his talks with Singh, replied: "Naturally when we go (to India), the talks will be held according to the opportunity."

In response to another question on whether he would bowl a googly to Singh, Gilani said, "I am going to watch the cricket match. It's s too early to expect (anything)."

Meanwhile, the US congratulated India and Pakistan for progress made in the peace talks and lauded the leadership of the two countries for initiating "cricket diplomacy".

"We commend the leaders of both countries for carrying forward with what the media is calling cricket diplomacy," US Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer said.

(With PTI inputs)