"We will amicably settle all issues with Pakistan and take decisions keeping in mind our national interest," Prof Soz told UNI in an exclusive interview.

Prof Soz, who took charge as the Water Resources Minister on January 30, said the Baglihar and Kishanganga projects were a priority issue with his Ministry.

"Both projects will have to be studied in detail and I am in the process of gathering expert opinion..." he added.

The Minister said both the countries were bound to adhere to the Indus Water Treaty, signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960 by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani military ruler General Mohammad Ayub Khan.

He said the clauses of the treaty will be studied in detail and based on the interpretation a solution found to the contentious issues.

Pakistan has raised objection on both the projects, saying India violated the Indus Water Treaty.

Under the Treaty, New Delhi has given up its claim on water usage of three eastern rivers -- Jhelum, Chenab and Indus -- (all flowing from Jammu and Kashmir) to Pakistan in lieu of three Western rivers -- Sutlej, Beas and Ravi -- that it retains.

The treaty prevents the consumptive use of the water otherwise owned by the state. The Indus Water Treaty was brokered by the World Bank and also involved Australia, Canada [Images], Germany [Images], New Zealand [Images], Britain and the US. These countries were part of a collateral Indus Water Basin Development Fund Agreement.

Pakistan referred the 450 MW Baglihar hydro-power project, being constructed by India on the river Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, to treaty arbitrator World Bank, objecting to the increase in the height of the dam. Pakistan has been claiming that the height of the gated structure would cause acute water shortage in the country.

India has strongly denied the charges, saying the project meets the criteria laid out by the treaty.

A World Bank-appointed neutral expert also visited the project, which was scheduled to be commissioned in January 2006.

Islamabad is also opposing the 330-MW Kishanganga project, which envisages inter-tributary transfer of waters of the Jhelum river and construction of a dam near Bandipur in Jammu Kashmir's Baramulla district.

It claimed that the diversion of the river water to the Wullar Lake would contravene provisions of the Treaty and reduce water flow into Pakistan by 27 per cent.