India, Pak conclude first day's talks

New Delhi, Nov 14 (UNI) The Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan concluded their first day of the two-day talks here today, kick-starting the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue Process (CDP) in a bid to narrow down differences on a host of issues including terrorism.

Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon met his Pakistani conterpart Riaz Mohammad Khan at the majestic Hyderabad House this morning and shook hands before they moved in to begin two days of hectic deliberations.

The talks which lasted about four hours, were held in a ''cordial atmosphere,'' sources said, without giving any more details immediately. The discussions will continue tomorrow also.

The two sides are expected to give shape to the Joint Mechanism on Terrorism which was proposed at the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf at Havana on the sidelines of the NAM Summit in September.

The talks being held after a gap of nearly one year, will also review the progress on the three rounds of the Composite Dialogue Process (CDP) held so far.

Siachen and Sir Creek issues could also come up, although no concrete progress is expected.

The talks which were to be held in July, were put on hold after the 7/11 Mumbai bomb blasts.

The Pakistan Foreign Secretary, leading a nine-member team, arrived here from Lahore last evening for the talks.

Immediately after his arival at the airport, he said he was looking forward to ''very constructive discussions.'' He will meet Kashmiri separatist leaders Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat, Yaseen Malik, Shabir Shah and hardliner Ali Shah Gilani at a dinner this evening.

The Pakistani delegation comprises Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) Akhtar Tufail, Additional Secretary (UN) Tariq Osman Hyder, Director-General (South Asia) Jalil Abbas Jilani, Director-General (UN) and spokesperson Tasnim Aslam, Director (India) Irfan Ahmad, Director (Kashmir Affairs), Mariam Aftab, Director (Foreign Secretary's Office) Moin-ul Haq and Assistant Director (India) Qamar Abbas.

The sources said the talks between the two Foreign Secretaries would be followed by a meeting of the Foreign Ministers sometime later.

However, details about the Foreign Ministers meeting had not been worked out yet.

India says ISI was involved in the explosions and asserts that it has ''credible'' evidence in support of the claim.

Some of the evidence would be handed over to Pakistani officials at the Foreign Secretary-level meeting.

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