India, Pak Foreign Secretary level talks begin

New Delhi, Nov 14: Kickstarting the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue Process (CDP), India and Pakistan began their Foreign Secretary-level talks here this morning to narrow down differences on a host of issues includng terrorism.

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

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

The proposed Joint Mechanism on Terror is likely to be given shape at the talks which are being held after a gap of nearly one year. Terrorism will be the main focus of the talks which 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.'' Sources said the Pakistan Foreign Secretary will also call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

He will also meet Kashmiri separatist leaders Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat, Yaseen Malik, Shabir Shah and hardliner Ali Shah Gilani at a dinner this evening.

Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq will not be able to attend as he is presently out of the country.

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 and any such decision would be taken at the Foreign Secretary-level discussions.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri has said both countries were close to a solution of the Siachen issue. This was however, denied by India.

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.

It was not immediately known whether the issue of Mumbai bomb blasts and ISI' involvement in these would be taken up on the first day of the talks.

UNI