February 26, 2002	Tuesday	Zilhaj 13, 1422

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NEW DELHI, Feb 25: India has decided to send Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj to Islamabad to participate in a Saarc information ministers’ conference starting on March 7, officials and diplomats said on Monday.

They said the Indian prime minister’s office had cleared the visit recently as part of New Delhi’s drive to boost its image as a responsible power that sought friendly ties with its neighbours, including Pakistan, despite the obvious difficulties with Islamabad.

Also, faced with a crippling global economic recession that had impacted adversely on its global trade, India was keen to revive some degree of commerce with neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, and it had sought Islamabad’s approval for a resumption of freight trains between the two countries, the diplomats added.

President K. R. Narayanan, too, signalled India’s keen interest in this regard during a key address to parliament on Monday.

“It is a matter of deep satisfaction that there has been a revival of the Saarc process, beginning with the meeting of the Foreign Secretaries in August 2001 in Colombo, and culminating in the Eleventh Summit of Heads of State and Government in Kathmandu in early January”, Mr Narayanan said, in a speech that otherwise spent more time targeting Pakistan for its alleged support to terrorism.

Mr Narayanan said: “Steps are being taken to deepen and broaden regional economic cooperation. India is committed to progressive tariff liberalization towards the goal of a South Asian Free Trade Area.”

Speaking of Swaraj’s proposed visit to Islamabad, the officials said although bilateral meetings were not slated, the minister could broach the subject of India’s demand for checking “the infiltration” in Kashmir.