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| 16 February 2004 | Monday | 24 Zilhaj 1424 |
Delhi team arrives; talks begin today: All issues to be covered
ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: Three-day talks between Pakistan and India will begin here on Monday after a gap of about four years to revive the process of composite dialogue between the two neighbours.
An Indian delegation arrived in Islamabad on Sunday to participate in the dialogue which begins at the joint secretary-level. Director-General (South Asia) Jalil Abbas Jilani would lead the Pakistani side, while the Indian team will be led by Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran) Arun Kumar Singh.
The dialogue process has been restarted as a result of a breakthrough meeting between President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee on the sidelines of the Saarc summit here on Jan 5.
During the talks between Jalil Abbas Jilani and Arun Singh, the two sides would refer back to the results of the latest consultations on various aspects of the Indo-Pakistan peace process and "firm up" the shape of various parts of the composite dialogue.
Joint secretaries of the two states would thoroughly discuss the proposed agenda in their meetings on Monday and Tuesday before submitting it to the foreign secretaries' meeting to be held on Wednesday.
Indian Foreign Secretary Mr Shashank will arrive here on Feb 17 to sum up the two-day consultations that would seek to put back the entire composite dialogue process on track and set future dates for talks.
Mr Shashank would hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Mr Riaz Khokhar on Feb 18. Pakistan and India have already outlined a broad sketch of the agenda for the bilateral parleys.
The outline has been modelled on the earlier understanding reached in the secretary-level meeting in 1999 prior to the dismissal of the Nawaz Sharif government which stalled the process of dialogue between the two countries.
Most of the eight agenda items identified at that time would be included in the new draft, though issues like terrorism have assumed a broader context and urgency in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the US.
Other items include Kashmir, trade, peace and security, Siachin, Wullar Barrage, Sir Creek, economic and commercial cooperation and art and cultural exchanges. Two fresh items proposed by Pakistan are nuclear and conventional disarmament and consular issues. -PPI/APP
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