India, Pak Foreign Secretaries agree on 6 accords

Islamabad, Mar 14: The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistantoday concluded their two-day talks with an understanding to concludesix agreements to cooperate in the area of peace and security.

While no formal accord was signed by foreign secretary ShivShankar Menon and his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Muhammad Khan, it wasagreed to expedite negotiations to conclude five accords in the area ofpeace and security and two agreements dealing with bilateral visaregime and consular access.

''There is clear political will on both sides to make all roundprogress in the composite dialogue to take the process towards its goalof establishing normal, good neighbourly and friendly relations betweenthe two countries,'' Mr Menon told a joint press conference.

He said the two sides noted the significant improvement broughtabout by the dialogue process in bilateral relation in the last threeyears especially in promoting people-to-people contacts.

''We agreed that our relations today are qualitatively better thanthree years ago and that the dialogue process has a proven record ofsuccess,'' Mr Menon said.

Giving details of the agreements, which the two sides decided toconclude in the area of peace and security, Mr Khan said Islamabad andNew Delhi would expedite negotiation to conclude an agreement onprevention of incidents at Sea.

They will fully observe the ceasefire along the Line of Control inJammu and Kashmir and conclude and sign an agreement on modalities forthe conduct of quarterly flag meetings at the sectors to be agreed upon.

''It was also decided to conclude and sign a framework agreementon speedy return of inadvertent LoC crossers,'' Mr Khan said, adding anagreement on not developing new posts and defence works along the LoCwill also be finalized.

The two countries will also propose drafts for new border control guidelines.

He said agreements on bilateral visa regime and consular accesswould be signed during the fourth round of talks while, the protocol onvisits to religious places in the two countries is to be revised.

However, Mr Khan did not announce any timeframe for signing agreements in the area of peace and security.

On Jammu and Kashmir, he said the two sides have decided to ensureimplementation of already agreed confidence building measures onKashmir, adding New Delhi and Islamabad will work together for gettingthe proposed cross-LoC truck service started.

''We will also ensure operationalisation/rationalisation of fivecrossing points at the LoC,'' he added to an assurance by Mr Menon thatIndia also sought solution to all outstanding problems, including theJammu and Kashmir issue.

On Siachen, it was decided that Indian and Pakistani defencesecretaries, assisted by their respective Directors General MilitaryOperations would meet at the earliest.

Mr Menon said India had already proposed a set of dates to Pakistan for holding meeting of defence secretaries on Siachen.

UNI

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