Setting the stage for the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf in New York on September 14, India and Pakistan on Friday announced a slew of measures to promote people-to-people contacts, including starting a truck service for trade on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route.
The two countries also outlined the roadmap for the third round of the Composite Dialogue process to be launched in January next year in New Delhi with a meeting of their foreign secretaries.
India, Pak agree on missile tests pre-notification
Addressing a press conference at the end of his two-day talks with his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Mohammad Khan, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said that during his 'courtesy call' on President Pervez Musharraf at the Army House in Rawalpindi, he had conveyed to him that Prime Minister Singh 'greatly looks forward' to his New York meeting.
"I return confident that the Composite Dialogue is proceeding in a satisfactory manner and has proved to be a very useful instrument in bridging differences between the two countries," he said.
The 2 sides welcomed the continuation of the ceasefire and commended the finalisation of the agreement on pre-notification of ballistic missiles tests which has been recommended for signing during the meeting of External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid M Kasuri here on October 3-4.
During the external affairs minister's visit, a memorandum of understanding will also be signed for establishing communication links between the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and the Indian Coast Guards, the joint statement said.
It was decided that technical-level meetings would be held as soon as possible on the early operationalisation of the Poonch-Rawalkot bus service and a truck service for trade on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route, for which there have been strong demands.
India rules out redrawing boundaries
They agreed to hold further discussions on establishing meeting points across the line of control for divided families. Technical-level meetings would be held this month to review the bilateral air services agreement and the shipping protocol, Saran said.
It was also decided that technical experts will finalise the modalities for operationalisation of the Lahore-Amritsar and Nankana Sahib-Amritsar bus services later this month.
On his talks with the Pakistan President, Saran said he had recalled the forward-looking and constructive dialogue Musharraf and Singh had in New Delhi in April this year and "how much the prime minister is looking forward to renewing his association with President Musharraf in New York."
Saran briefs Musharraf on outcome of talks
It would also give them the opportunity to carry forward the "very productive dialogue" between the two sides, he said.
Reciprocating the sentiments, Musharraf told Saran that he too was looking forward to the opportunity to exchange views with prime minister Singh on various issues on the bilateral agenda that included Kashmir.
Asked about the prime minister's recent remarks that attempts by Pakistan to combat violence and cross-border terrorism were "half-hearted", Saran said he had, during talks with Musharraf, welcomed the recent assurances articulated by the Pakistan President that various measures were being taken to fight the phenomenon of terrorism.
It was conveyed that terrorism and extremism posed danger for Pakistan itself. Saran said India hoped that these commitments were, infact, implemented.
'Noticeable progress' in talks with Pak: India
"I, of course, drew attention to the fact that on the ground, infiltration and violence still continues and we hope that this would subside," he said, recalling that both Musharraf and Singh had agreed that terrorism must be confronted and not allowed to impede the peace process between the two countries.
To a question that Pakistan feels that progress on the Kashmir issue had not been satisfactory, Saran did not share this assessment.
"We are making progress on all different components of the composite dialogue including Kashmir and peace and security. We, perhaps, may not, at this point of time, know the final shape of what the settlement between the two countries would be. In order to get to the destination, we both wish to reach, it is important that we create an environment in which we can ensure the support of the people of India and Pakistan," Saran said.
Saran said "while we may not be able to do much in terms of changing the lines which are drawn on the map, it is important to adopt a people-centric approach" and encourage cross-border trade and people-to-people contacts.
Asked whether he had raised with Musharraf the issue of Sarabjit Singh, facing gallows for his alleged involvement in bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan in 1990, Saran said specifically this was not talked about.
The joint statement said the 2 sides expressed satisfaction over the positive developments during the current round of the composite dialogue. They shared the view that the work of their experts on nuclear and conventional confidence building measures had contributed to a "better understanding" of each other's concerns.
The 2 sides agreed to revise the 1988 Cultural Exchange Programme and update the 1974 Visa Agreement, the joint statement added.
The 2 foreign secretaries agreed on the need to improve, on humanitarian grounds, the existing mechanism for expeditious disposal of consular issues related to prisoners, fishermen and inadvertent line crossers of either side.
The decision to release on September 12 all prisoners, whose nationality was confirmed and who had completed their sentences, was welcomed by them, the joint statement said.
Indo-Pak Joint Commission revived
Recalling the decision of Singh and Musharraf in April to revive the India-Pakistan Joint Commission, it was agreed that its meeting would be held during Natwar Singh's visit to Islamabad next month.
The 2 sides agreed to conclude all technical-level >meetings on which decisions have been taken by April next year.
