Talks with EAM to focus on composite dialogue resumption: Aziz

Islamabad, Dec 7: Acknowledging that the deadlock in Indo-Pak ties has somewhat eased, Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz today said his talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj this week would focus on the resumption of composite dialogue process.

Aziz, while talking to reporters here, said Swaraj is arriving in Pakistan tomorrow to attend the 'Heart of Asia' Conference and during her visit will also call on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Aziz said the deadlock in Indo-Pak ties had eased to some extent.

During his talks with Swaraj, Aziz said various matters with focus on resumption of composite dialogue process between the two countries will be discussed. The conference on Afghanistan is expected to be jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Sharif and Afghan president Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday. Foreign ministers of several countries will attend the conference.

Swaraj's visit will come two days after talks between the National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan yesterday in Bangkok, where they discussed terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir and a range of key bilateral issues apart from agreeing to carry forward the "constructive" engagement.

A joint statement issued after the meeting of NSAs said the talks were held pursuant to a meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Sharif on the sidelines of the climate meet in Paris. Before Paris, Modi and Sharif had held bilateral meeting in Russian city of Ufa where they decided that their NSAs would meet to discuss all "terror-related" issues.

However, Pakistan had called-off Aziz' visit after New Delhi had made it clear that he would not be allowed to meet Kashmiri separatist leaders in the Indian capital.

PTI