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ISLAMABAD, May 3: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Saturday sent a formal invitation to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to visit Pakistan for bilateral talks, official sources told Dawn.
The invitation was handed over to the acting Indian High Commissioner, T.C.A. Raghavan, by a senior official at the foreign ministry.
"A warm welcome awaits you," was how Mr Jamali invited his Indian counterpart.
The sources said in his invitation, Mr Jamali stated he was heartened by Mr Vajpayee's desire to improve relations between the two countries.
Mr Jamali also reiterated his offer to visit India in the interest of peace and security in the region.
The formal invitation came four days after Mr Jamali established telephonic contact with Mr Vajpayee, ending the nearly 17-month-old impasse between India and Pakistan. Prime Minister Jamali's peace initiative followed Mr Vajpayee's offer of a dialogue to Pakistan on April 18 in Srinagar. On Friday, Mr Vajpayee signalled India's readiness to restore full diplomatic relations and air links.
A formal response to Mr Jamali's invitation is expected within the next 24 hours, diplomatic sources said.
Besides, Pakistan would be announcing its peace initiatives in a couple of days, official sources said.
POWELL'S CALL: Earlier on Saturday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell telephoned Mr Jamali to convey his deep appreciation for the prime minister's initiative in calling his Indian counterpart.
"The prime minister assured Mr Powell of Pakistan's continuing positive and constructive approach to commence a meaningful dialogue between Pakistan and India," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
During the conversation, Mr Powell held out the assurance that the United States would remain engaged in the region to promote better understanding between India and Pakistan and to facilitate resumption of dialogue for a peaceful resolution of problems between the two countries.
The prime minister told the secretary that Pakistan would "soon announce measures aimed at creating a congenial atmosphere and to promote peace and security in the region".
The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the close and cooperative relations between Pakistan and the United States," the foreign office said. Mr Jamali added that he looked forward to receiving Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who is to visit the subcontinent next week.
Powell also telephoned Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha and "welcomed prime minister's peace initiative", foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told Reuters in New Delhi.
"We are committed to improvement of relations with Pakistan," Sarna told reporters, referring to Vajpayee's reply.
