Islamabad (ANI): Foreign Secretaries Salman Bashir (Pakistan) and Shiv Shankar Menon (India) and their respective delegations today discussed the recent cease-fire violations along the Line of Control (LoC), and reiterated that both countries respected the sanctity of the cease-fire reached on November 25, 2003.
Briefing reporters after an hour-long restricted meeting between the Foreign Secretaries and the delegation-level talks that covered issues like cross-border terrorism, Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek and various CBMs like more cross-LoC bus services and people-to-people contacts, Menon said that a thorough review of the fourth round of the bilateral Composite Dialogue was undertaken after a gap of six months, and it was decided that every effort would be put in to make peaceful co-existence a reality between the two countries.
He said that Islamabad had given New Delhi an assurance that it is committed to maintaining truce along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Foreign Secretary-level talks were held against the backdrop of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's arrival statement here that putting an end to terrorism and violence was necessary for building trust and cooperation. Mukherjee also said that both India and Pakistan should collectively combat the menace to ensure peace and stability in South Asia.
"Both sides made it clear that they attach great importance to the cease-fire and they want to make it hold," Menon said after talks with Bashir.
He also said that their Directors General of Military Operations had also taken up the matter and both sides are committed to maintaining the ceasefire.
India has expressed concern over the recent incidents of firing on its soldiers from across the LoC. There have been three such incidents since May 8 and an Indian soldier was killed in trans-LoC firing yesterday.
Mukherjee, who arrived here on a two-day visit, said India approaches the next round of talks in a spirit of cooperation, trust and pragmatism. "This is predicated on an atmosphere free from terrorism, violence or the threat of it."
He expressed confidence that the "new democratic environment" would help in addressing various issues related to peace, stability and economic development.
Mukherjee, who will meet his counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday in first high-level contact with the new dispensation in Islamabad, cited the "tragic assassination" of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to emphasise to Islamabad the need for ending cross-border terrorism.
"The Foreign Secretaries expressed satisfaction at the progress made so far and exchanged views on carrying forward the composite dialogue process," a joint press statement issued after the talks said.
The Foreign Secretaries set the agenda of talks between Mukherjee and Qureshi on Wednesday.
New Delhi also pressed for launch of more cross-LoC bus services and early operationalisation of the truck service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad.
The dialogue, which began in 2004, has helped in improvement of bilateral relations and the Indian side is keen to take it forward with the new government, picking up from where it was left during Musharraf regime.
India maintains that it is ready to address all issues with Pakistan, including Jammu and Kashmir, through talks but insists that atmosphere of peace is essential for the success of the dialogue process.
More cross border CBM's are on the cards, No breakthrough on Siachen yet
After day long marathon meetings between the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan, and Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee's meetings with Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Asfayandar Wali Khan, both countries reportedly are very close to signing an agreement on cross border trade, which may include the opening of the road between Kargil and Skardu, increasing the frequency of buses plying between the two Kashmirs, the launch of a bilateral postal service and also the launch of an ambitious helicopter service between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar.
According to sources, another key agreement that could be sealed is one on giving consular access to the prisoners languishing in the jails of India and Pakistan.
Expressing gratitude on deferring the hanging of Sarabjit Singh, the Indian on death row in Pakistan for the last 18 years, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon said the issue was not about a single individual, but a larger humanitarian issue.
Pakistan also announced that it would releasing 96 Indian fishermen and three Indian civilians as a goodwill gesture.
Menon said that the long standing issues of Sir Creek and Siachen also came up for discussion during the talks, but both sides failed to reach any common ground. However, expressing optimism on resolving the bottlenecks on the two issues, Menon said: "Sir Creek and Siachen are solvable".
He confirmed that both issues would figure in the talks between Foreign Ministers' Pranab Mukherjee and Shah Mahmoud Qureshi on Wednesday.
Pakistan and India have already undertaken a joint survey of Sir Creek and the Siachen Glacier.
The two countries have mooted making Siachen a "Mountain of Peace", and Menon said there was a proposal to conduct joint mountain climbing expeditions to address the environmental concerns of both countries.
Cross Border terrorism, infiltration, the release of prisoners also come up during the discussion.
Mukherjee will also call on President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday before returning to New Delhi. (ANI)
