India, Pakistan to expedite friendly exchanges

Islamabad, June 29 (UNI) India and Pakistan today agreed to expedite a programme of friendly exchanges as part of the ongoing efforts to build mutual trust.

The agreement was reached at the two-day secretary-level talks on promotion of friendly exchanges in various fields, which concluded in Islamabad today.

Secretary, Department of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Culture Mr Badal K Das and his Pakistani counterpart Mr Salim Gul Sheikh led their respective delegations at the talks.

'' The talks were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere with the two delegations reviewing implementation of various proposals exchanged during the third round of talks in New Delhi in 2006,'' Pakistan's foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said here today.

Ms Aslam said a number of proposals for promoting cooperation in the fields of art and culture, archeology, sports, youth affairs, traditional systems of medicine, education, information and media, tourism and visits to religious shrines came up for discussions.

'' The two sides discussed a Programme of Friendly Exchanges between them for the period 2007-2009, and agreed to work towards its expeditious implementation,'' she added.

UNI