Kasuri, Pranab talk peace

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri held talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on Wednesday to carry forward the peace process between the two countries.

The issue of terrorism and security for travellers between the two countries is believed to have dominated the agenda of the meeting, primarily convened for discussing ways to enhance cooperation in trade, economy and social sectors.

Kasuri presented a fresh set of proposals, including the one on liberalising the 1974 visa regime between the two countries, sources said, adding that the Siachen issue also came up during the discussions. The meeting between the two foreign ministers was their third during the past four months.

The two countries had established a Joint Commission in March 1983 for strengthening cooperation in various fields. However, only three meetings could be held between 1983 and 1989 after which it did not meet following a downslide in relations between the two countries.

It was revived during President Pervez Musharraf's visit to India in April 2005. Consequently, Mukherjee had, during his visit to Pakistan last month, extended an invitation to Kasuri to visit New Delhi for the JCM.

Image: Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri ahead of the ir meeting in New Delhi.
Photograph: Saab Pictures