NEW DELHI, Sept 7: Yielding to a long pending demand of journalists from both countries, the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan on Tuesday promised them prompt visas to travel anywhere in each other's country.

Indian Foreign Minister Kunwar Natwar Singh and Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri announced the measure at a reception for the Pakistani minister that was organized by the Indian chapter of the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA).

Listening to a litany of identical complaints from media representatives of the two countries, Mr Singh made an unscheduled intervention. "Please go where you want to go. I can say this to you to right now that you will get free visas to go wherever you want to travel in this country," Mr Singh said.

He was earlier advised by the National Security Advisor Jyotindra Nath Dixit, also present at the reception, to okay the announcement. "We can persuade the home minister, that should not be difficult. We also have to get a clearance form our Cabinet Committee on Security, comprising important ministries, but we hope to manage to get this cleared," Mr Singh said.

Turning to Mr Kasuri, he said: "Khurshid, it's great having you here. Come again whenever you like. And I will come to your country whether you invite me or not." Mr Kasuri, speaking after Mr Singh, even though both had agreed earlier not to address the meeting at all, said while he did not know the names of all the ministers in the new cabinet, he would get the required clearances for Indian journalists.

He said President Pervez Musharraf had always supported free exchanges between the media of both countries. He said Mr Singh was always welcome to come to Pakistan uninvited, but the fact was that he had extended an invitation to the Indian foreign minister which was promptly accepted.

The two countries are scheduled to release a joint statement on Wednesday, shortly before Mr Kasuri and his delegation return home. Earlier, in Ajmer, where he paid respects at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Mr Kasuri said the relations between India and Pakistan were going to improve.