INDIA: Nuclear rivals India and Pakistan opened discussions in Islamabad yesterday to determine a "road map" for sustained dialogue on ways to resolve Kashmir and other outstanding disputes. Rahul Bedi reports from New Delhi
These have bedevilled relations between the states, who came close to war 18 months ago.
"The talks will continue tomorrow," said Pakistan's foreign office spokesman, Mr Masood Khan, in Islamabad. The discussions between mid-level foreign ministry officials from the two countries, he said, were cordial, constructive and mutually satisfying.
He declined to provide details of the talks, other than to reveal that they included the "agenda, structure, ambit and time frame" for the dialogue which India's Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Pakistan's President, Gen Pervez Musharraf, decided to pursue last month.
The two leaders' decision to engage in talks ended over two years of a stand-off during which their armies were mobilised along their common frontier, triggering fears worldwide of nuclear war.
The Islamabad talks will be wrapped up by India's Foreign Secretary, Mr Shashank, and his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Riaz Khokar, tomorrow. Both are the most senior civil servants in their respective foreign ministries.
In Delhi, India's External Affairs Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, expressed hope for the success of the talks. "I am quite optimistic over the outcome of this round of talks," he said, adding that they would deal with the future agenda and other details for later meetings.
Officials said the Islamabad dialogue is a test of the willingness of the two sides to show a spirit of compromise and conciliation on issues such as Kashmir, over which both have fought three wars and an 11-week-long military engagement since independence 57 years ago. Muslim-majority Kashmir province is divided between the two rivals but claimed by both. India blames Pakistan for sponsoring the insurgency raging in Kashmir for nearly 15 years which has claimed over 50,000 lives, an allegation Islamabad denies.
Western diplomats in Delhi said that in the continuing "talks-about talks", the two sides are expected to agree on other subjects for discussion other than Kashmir: nuclear and security matters, other outstanding territorial and maritime disputes besides the one over the flow of water to Pakistan from the Wullar barrage in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Rival claims over the 21,000- feet-high Siachen glacier in the Himalayas, enhanced trade and transport links and people-to-people contact will also feature in the "road map".
Pakistan is keen to develop a "nuclear grammar" with India to avoid any accident, especially after its revered scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan admitted earlier this month leaking secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.
The US, which has strongly backed the peace effort, welcomed the Islamabad dialogue. "We're pleased that India and Pakistan continue to work together to reduce tensions," said White House spokeswoman Ms Claire Buchan.
Deaglán de Bréadún writes: Speaking on behalf of Ireland's European Presidency, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen said on a visit to New Delhi yesterday: "The EU welcomes India's readiness to commence today the process of composite dialogue with Pakistan, including on the issue of Kashmir."
The Minister led an EU Troika delegation in a meeting with India's Minister of External Affairs, Mr Yashwant Sinha. Accompanied by the Dutch Foreign Minister, Mr Bernad Bot and the EU's External Relations Commissioner, Mr Chris Patten, the Minister said the EU wished Mr Sinha well in the negotiations with Pakistan.
The Minister travels to Kabul today to lead the Troika in a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdullah Abdullah. Tomorrow theywill meet the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Mr. Mian Khursheed Kasuri, in Islamabad.