Indo-Pak foreign secretary talks soon

Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral says the next round of foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan would take place soon.

Addressing the Indian media on Sunday night, Gujral hoped that the new confidence-building initiatives agreed upon with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharief would greatly contribute to strengthening ''certain dimensions'' of the relationship.

''With a person like Sharief at the helm of affairs in Pakistan, the Kashmir issue could be sorted out. We are great friends, I have great friends, I can do business with them," he said in an interview after his breakfast meeting with Sharief on Saturday.

At the same time, Gujral said, "Although I am a great optimist, dramatic results are not possible." An amicable solution would be found to this issue some day, he said.

Both India and Pakistan are keen that the Kashmir issue be resolved so that other important issues like trade and people-to-people contacts can be addressed.

Asked whether they had been able to resolve the deadlock on setting up a working group on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir as insisted upon by Pakistan, Gujral said the matter would be sorted out by the two foreign secretaries.

Earlier, the Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries met on their prime ministers's direction and issued a joint statement that they had agreed to actively continue their discussions through diplomatic channels for early resumption of the talks.

About his meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair soon after his arrival two days ago, Gujral said it was useful as all the doubts created by the media regarding Queen Elizabeth's recent visit to India had been removed.

Interviewed separately, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, who raised a controversy through his utterances during his visit to Pakistan early this month, welcomed Gujral's initiative and efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue.

He made it clear that Britain had no intention of playing a mediatory role. It was for India and Pakistan to sort it out, he said, adding that Blair had also explained Britain's stand to Gujral.

UNI

EARLIER REPORT:
Gujral, Sharief meet, quell doubts about peace talks