Pranab Mukherjee to visit Pakistan on January 13

New Delhi, Nov 27 (UNI) External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will visit Islamabad on January 13 for talks with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri for carrying forward the Composite Dialogue Process between the two countries.

The Pakistan Foreign Minister who is currently in India on a private visit, told reporters that he was looking forward to Mr Mukherjee's visit to Islamabad for talks on Indo-Pak relations.

The Foreign Ministers of the two countries will meet as a sequel to the Foreign Secretary-level discussions held here recently after a hiatus of nearly one year.

Mr Mukherjee and Mr Kasuri who met here at lunch today, held 'informal' discussions on various aspects. The two spoke to reporters after their luncheon meeting.

''I enjoyed the hospitality...I look forward to receiving him (Mr Mukherjee) on January 13,'' Mr Kasuri said after the luncheon meeting which lasted more than an hour.

Describing the Indo-Pak relations as important, the Pakistan Foreign Minister said there was need to develop them further.

He said he had held meetings with two predecessors of Mr Mukherjee.

''It is a very heavy responsibility...Whatever we are doing, we need strong people. Very senior Congress leader has been entrusted the responsibility of this Ministry. It gives me great hope, Mr Kasuri said.

Mr Mukherjee said it was not a formal visit.

''I have invited him for SAARC Summit. We will have substantive talks at that point of time.'' Mr Mukherjee said he would also be carrying a letter from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf formally inviting him to attend the SAARC Summit.

Mr Kasuri arrived here on Saturday on a three-day private visit to attend the wedding ceremony of the daughter of Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyer.

On his arrival here, he said he had 'Bhindi, Mithaai and aloo on his mind' as the agenda for talks.

He also said the two countries had made a ''lot of progress'' on the Siachen issue but political will was needed to resolve the issue.

UNI RB YA DS1533