India, Pak reiterate commitment to dialogue

India and Pakistan have reiterated their commitment to continue their dialogue and hoped the third round of talks between their foreign secretaries would concrete shape to the mechanism for conducting the discussions.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmed, who arrived in New Delhi on Monday evening for the four-day talks, said given the political will and sincerity of purpose, "We see no reason this should not mark the beginning of a process which would ultimately lead to cooperative and good-neighbourly relations between our two countries.''

Welcoming him, Foreign Secretary K Raghunath said, ''We are clear in our conviction that India and Pakistan should persevere in the shared task of establishing a relationship of trust, friendship and cooperation."

Answering when working groups for the various issues identified in the second round of talks in June (in Islamabad) would be set up, Ahmed said he hoped it would happen at this round of the talks itself.

He said that during the earlier round it had been agreed that a mechanism would be set up to address all outstanding issues, including that of Jammu and Kashmir.

While Ahmed said the current round of talks would focus on getting the agreed mechanism going, Raghunath said the Indian side wished to work further on finalising the details of the mechanism.

By doing this, the Indian foreign secretary added, ''we will jointly lay the basis for a comprehensive and sustained dialogue... on a wide range of subjects connected with our bilateral relations.''

He said, ''Our commitment to this dialogue is firm and unequivocal'' and recalled that the last two rounds of talks had been frank, cordial and constructive. ''I have no doubt that our deliberations during the coming ground will be held in the same spirit,'' he said.

In the last round, the foreign secretaries had decided to set up working groups on issues including peace and security, including confidence-building measures; Jammu and Kashmir; Siachen; the Wullar barrage project or the Tulbul Navigation Project; terrorism and drug trafficking; and economic and commercial cooperation.

However, it was specified that peace and security and Jammu and Kashmir would be dealt with by the foreign secretaries themselves. They would also coordinate and monitor the progress of work of all the working groups.

UNI

EARLIER REPORTS:
Will Clinton's proposal end Indo-Pak hostilities?
The Kashmir war will now move to New York: experts
Hawks in Pak establishment, army behind firing
Firing will harden Indian stand at foreign secretary-level talks
The Kashmir Hurdle
Goodbye hatred
India will not negotiate Kashmir in talks with Pakistan
India, Pakistan talks begin in Delhi