05 February 2005	Saturday	25 Zilhaj 1425

NEW DELHI, Feb 4: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri is disappointed by India's decision to call off the Saarc summit and has expressed fears that the move could dampen bilateral ties with Pakistan, The Asian Age said on Friday.

Mr Kasuri told the newspaper on telephone from Islamabad that regional meetings such as the one cancelled in Dhaka were important to create the goodwill necessary to sustain the India-Pakistan peace process.

"It is important that our spirits are high and this decision has had a dampening effect and can be counterproductive," he said. Mr Kasuri also said that progress in bilateral dialogue with India was slow, and that it was a cause for concern as it had given an issue to the hawks to crow about.

He said, following India's decision on not going to Dhaka, those who had been opposed to the peace process "are the ones now who are crowing". It was important to keep the peace process at the highest level as, for one, the scuttlers at the lower level would then not be in control, and second, political will can only be demonstrated at the top, The Age said, quoting Mr Kasuri.

"At present," the minister regretted, "these people against peace are having a field day." The newspaper observed that "for the first time in several months Mr Kasuri sounded a little pessimistic about the peace process with India, expressing a level of unhappiness over the slow progress".

He said that he would try his best to make his meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Kunwar Natwar Singh scheduled on February 15 a success, and he was hopeful that his efforts would be reciprocated.

Asked about the list of proposals that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had said he would submit to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when they met in Dhaka, Mr Kasuri said this could be done when the Saarc summit was rescheduled.

Mr Kasuri did not entirely abandon his sense of humour. Pointing out that Nepal's King Gyanendra had spoken of holding power for three years, Mr Kasuri said: "I hope that is not the duration India has in mind for the next (Saarc) summit."