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India,
Pakistan agree on cross-Kashmir linkages, set positive tone
Tuesday July 26, 2011 07:08:24 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi: India and Pakistan
Tuesday set a positive tone to their revived dialogue as their
foreign secretaries firmed up cross-Kashmir confidence-building
measures that will be unveiled by the foreign ministers of the two
countries Wednesday.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar touched down in her
special flight Tuesday on a rainy afternoon.
The 34-year-old Khar, Pakistan's first woman foreign minister and
the youngest, was warmly received by Sharat Sabharwal, India's
high commissioner to Pakistan, and Y.K. Sinha, joint secretary in
charge of Pakistan in the foreign office.
They were joined by Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Shahid
Malik and senior officials of the mission.
"This is my first trip to India and New Delhi as the foreign
minister of Pakistan. I bring the good wishes of the people of
Pakistan and the government of Pakistan," Khar told reporters at
the airport.
"I hope that these two countries have learnt lessons from history,
but are not burdened by them," she said in a carefully worded
message that sought to reinforce the goodwill the exchanges so far
had generated.
"I hope we can move forward as good, friendly neighbours who have
stake in each other's future. Both the countries understand their
responsibilities to the region and within the region," she said.
Before Khar flew to New Delhi, she had told reporters that
Pakistan was looking to "result-oriented dialogue."
"We should be positive in our engagement, and we are," she said.
Khar arrived here soon after the foreign secretaries of India and
Pakistan Tuesday ended their delegation-level preparatory talks,
lasting over two hours, to firm up the agenda for the ministers'
meeting, after which the CBMs will be unveiled.
Rao and Bashir had "very cordial and positive discussions today in
New Delhi," Vishnu Prakash, the spokesperson of the external
affairs ministry, told reporters.
"They reviewed the progress in talks between different ministries
and organisations, of the two countries in the preceding months,"
he said.
Rao and Bashir reviewed the progress in bilateral relations since
they last met in Islamabad a month ago and finalised a slew of
CBMs designed to expand travel and trade across the divided halves
of Kashmir, officials said.
The CBMs could include an increase in the frequency of
cross-Kashmir bus links between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad and
Poonch and Rawalakot, an increase in the number of trading days
across the Line of Control (LoC) from two to four, and opening of
more trading points.
The two sides may also announce the release on humanitarian
grounds of prisoners in each other's custody.
A government source said the two sides also discussed measures to
liberalise the visa regime that seeks to boost people-to-people
contacts which both sides have decided on as a focus area in their
relationship.
The two sides also discussed possibilities of upgrading their
dialogue in some areas to the ministerial level, said the source.
During the talks, the Indian side pushed for speedy justice for
victims of the 26/11 Mumbai carnage, raised the issue of Pakistani
spy agency ISI's link with Kashmiri separatism and emphasised the
need for "an atmosphere free from terror" to continue meaningful
talks, the source added.
India also underlined the need to expand the scope of dialogue by
including new people-centric areas of cooperation like
agriculture, health and telecommunications.
The Pakistani side raised the Kashmir "dispute" and pressed for a
swifter resolution of the decades-old issue that has triggered two
of the four wars fought by the nuclear-armed neighbours.
But despite differences over contentious points, the atmospherics
were positive, signalling the clear political will on the part of
New Delhi and Islamabad to sustain the peace process they revived
in February after an over two-year hiatus following the 26/11
terror spree that was perpetrated and masterminded by Pakistani
terrorists and elements from across the border.
"We had a very good meeting in Islamabad last month and this in a
sense has set the trend for the discussions today," Rao said while
welcoming Bashir.
"I think we have every reason to be satisfied with our joint
endeavours for the cause of peace and stability and for good
relations between our two countries," said Bashir, adding that he
looked forward to a "productive meeting between the two
ministers".
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