India, Pakistan talks 'cordial'

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 17, 2004

India, Pakistan talks 'cordial'

Indian and Pakistani senior officials have entered a second day of landmark talks to work on a framework for future peace negotiations between the two bitter foes, CNN reports Tuesday.

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Indian and Pakistani senior officials have entered a second day of landmark talks to work on a framework for future peace negotiations between the two bitter foes, CNN reports Tuesday.

Two hours of talks which began Monday and wind up Wednesday with discussions involving the countries' foreign ministers, were described as "cordial and constructive" and involved dates for future meets.

Later talks are set to focus on Kashmir, confidence-building measures in the nuclear field, terrorism and drugs, economic cooperation and a river dispute, The Associated Press reported.

"There is realization in India and Pakistan that war is not an option, that you have to look at ways to find a peaceful resolution of the outstanding disputes between the two countries," Pakistani spokesman Masood Khan said after Monday's meet.

"There's new momentum; this momentum must be maintained."

In a statement released in New Delhi, the Indian government said it was satisfied with the talks so far.

And in an apparent goodwill gesture, the government announced that it was releasing and repatriating four Pakistanis detained in the western state of Gujurat and four Pakistani boys detained at the Faridkot Juvenile Detention Center in Punjab.

The meeting between foreign ministry officials has been dubbed "talks about talks" and delegates are expected to formulate an agenda for further discussions over the coming months.

The nuclear rivals have already fought two of their three wars over Kashmir and human rights organizations estimate more than 60,000 people have been killed in violence there since a militant insurgency began there 15 years ago.

Middle-ranking bureaucrats from the two countries' foreign ministries are meeting to pave the way for a meeting on Wednesday between the two foreign secretaries, the highest-ranking bureaucrats in the rival ministries.

Pakistani President Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee agreed to restart the peace process during a groundbreaking meeting in January.

Musharraf pledged that he would not allow Pakistan to be used as a base for terrorist activity at the talks, which marked a sea change in decades of bitter rivalry between the foes.

Source: Agencies

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