'Two sentences can worsen' Indo-Pak tensions but no wish for deterioration: Qureshi

KARACHI/NEW YORK: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Tuesday night "two sentences can worsen the situation" between India and Pakistan but he does not wish for the tensions to exacerbate.

While speaking to Indian media here in the city, where he has travelled to attend the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Qureshi commented that Pakistan desired peace and, therefore, wants improvements in the bilateral ties.

The foreign minister also held an unscheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump when he was officially welcomed to the UN headquarters in New York, wherein the latter reiterated his intention to "reset" the US-Pakistan relations.

The two exchanged thoughts on resuming bilateral talks, with Qureshi noting that Trump's approach seemed to be positive. He also held a discussion with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, although their official meeting is scheduled for October 2.

Separately, he met his counterparts from Turkey, China, Japan, Nepal, Switzerland, and Qatar.

With the Qatari foreign minister, Qureshi talked about bolstering the two-way relations with Pakistan and, in response, Doha offered to provide 100,000 job opportunities to skilled Pakistani workers.

Qureshi had delegation-level talks with his Chinese counterpart, assuring Wang Xi that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was Islamabad's first priority.

Pakistan would make efforts to take the bilateral strategic partnership to new heights, he told the Chinese foreign minister, and informed him of Prime Minister Imran Khan's proposed visit to China.

To that, Wang Xi said China eagerly awaited Khan.