October 31, 2003	Friday	Ramazan 4, 1424

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LONDON, Oct 30: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw rang Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Thursday and discussed with him the regional and international situation.

Mr Straw told Mr Kasuri that he was looking forward to meeting him next week in London where Foreign Secretary Straw has invited the Pakistani foreign minister on a bilateral visit.

Mr Kasuri told Mr Straw that Pakistan wanted the initiation of a composite dialogue with India as soon as possible so that all issues of concern to both countries including the core issue of Kashmir can be meaningfully addressed.

Mr Kasuri also told the Mr Straw that Pakistan always had a positive approach towards all confidence building measures (CBM) between Pakistan and India and that it would respond positively to the Indian proposals that were substantive unconditional and genuinely designed to improve relations between the two countries.

He also reminded the foreign secretary of the positive and flexible approach displayed by President Pervez Musharraf at Agra where he and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had reached an agreement regarding the text of what would have become the historic Agra Declaration.

He said that in the present instance, Pakistan will adopt a positive approach and reminded Mr Straw that there could be no durable peace in South Asia without addressing the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.—APP