India, Pak discuss Terrorism, Kashmir

New Delhi, Nov 14 (UNI) The issues of terrorism and Jammu and Kashmir were the focus of the first day of the two-day talks here today between Indian and Pakistani Foreign Secretaries who held ''very extensive discussions'' on a wide variety of issues, putting the Composite Dialogue Process (CDP) back on track.

Many other issues including Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs), non-conventional security issues, trade and economy, travel and situation regarding the civilian prisoners and fishermen, also came up at the four-hour meeting between Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Mohammad Khan.

''Very extensive discussions were held between the two delegations which caried on over working lunch. The two Foreign Secretaries also had the occasion to review the Composite Dialogue Process...Considerable amount of time was spent discussing the issue of terrorism in the light of the Havana spirit,'' External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said while briefing reporters on the first day's of deliberations.

Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said Jammu and Kashmir was the focus of today's talks.

The Anti-Terrorism Mechanism was also discussed and the two sides felt that it was a good decision.

Both sides agreed that terrorism is a global phenomenon and a way must be found to work on this (Mechanism) to curb the tendency to the extent possible.

''We underlined that we have such a mechanism with other countries. It was also felt that the new mechanism needed to be discussed and agreed upon,'' she said.

Mr Sarna, while declining to give details about today's deliberations, said this was a meeting held to resume the dialogue which had not been held after the Mumbai bomb blasts.

''Several other CBMs were reviewed with the objective of pushing them forward for early implementation,'' he said.

''Travel, civilian prisoners, fishermen, non-conventional security issues, economic and trade relations also came up for discussion,'' the spokesman added.

Part of the discussions focussed XXX Eds: Picking up from Fourth Para of DI 64, EXTERNAL-INDO-PAK SECOND LEAD TALKS TWO NEW DELHI.

UNI RB VD VV2004