MOSCOW, Feb 5: The high-level meetings between the visiting Pakistan delegation led by President Pervez Musharraf and the Russian team led by President Vladimir Putin here at the Kremlin on Wednesday remained largely exploratory, with the two sides seemingly making efforts to understand each other’s points of view on various issues of mutual interest.

On the major issue of interest for Pakistan — the core issue of Kashmir — President Putin advised his Pakistani counterpart to resume dialogue with India on the basis of Simla Accord and Lahore Declaration, making it very clear at the same time that any warming up of relations with Pakistan would be without prejudice to Russia’s relations with its traditional friends which in effect meant that Moscow would not develop relations with Pakistan at the cost of New Delhi.

President Pervez Musharraf, addressing a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart, characterized the talks as cordial, constructive and forward-looking.

The Pakistani president hoped that the talks would “impart a new depth and new direction to the relations between the two countries.”

The joint press conference ended without a question-answer session.

“This visit of mine will serve the interest of peace, stability and prosperity in the region,” President Musharraf added.

He said Pakistan and Russia stood together in the global coalition against terrorism and “we want to make the world safer for our children.”

Musharraf said that he apprised the Russian president of the situation in the region, particularly the state of relations between India and Pakistan.

He thanked President Putin for his continuing engagement to bring about normalization in South Asia.

He said he also discussed with the Russian leader issues pertaining to enhancement of bilateral trade, economic and cultural relations, “and I extended the most cordial invitation to him to visit Pakistan and make history as no Russian President has ever visited our country.”

The Russian president, who reportedly had a telephonic conversation with the Indian Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee the day Musharraf arrived in Moscow, asked the two South Asian neighbours to settle all their ‘bilateral disputes bilaterally.’

On the core issue of Kashmir, he said the talks between India and Pakistan should be held on the basis of Simla accord and Lahore declaration.

He made it clear that any warming up of relations between Russia and Pakistan would be without prejudice to the former’s relations with its traditional friends. This was perhaps by way of reassurance to India that its interest would not be hurt by the visible improvement in Pakistan-Russia relations and it was also perhaps an indirect signal to Pakistan that Moscow’s tilt towards New Delhi will not disappear with the improvement in relations between Moscow and Islamabad.

President Putin appreciated Pakistan’s contribution to the international war against terrorism, especially in the Afghanistan war and hoped that President Musharraf would succeed in his efforts to neutralize the extremist militant organizations operating in Pakistan.

He also wished Musharraf success in complying with all the international obligations his country has undertaken to neutralize the activities of the militant organizations. This again was clearly a reference to the assurance held out by President Musharraf last year that he would not allow Pakistan to be used as a platform for exporting terrorism to other countries.

President Putin said there was a vast scope for cooperation between Pakistan and Russia, especially in the fields of trade, economy, telecommunications, energy, metallurgy and space.

Mr Putin hoped that even before the departure of the Pakistani delegation on Thursday, accords on these matters would be finalized.

The official talks between the two countries were followed by signing of three accords at a simple ceremony at the Kremlin as the two presidents looked on.

The first accord pertained to cooperation between the academy of Russian Foreign Office and Foreign Services Academy of Pakistan.

The second was on cultural cooperation while the third pertained to issues of visa and immigration.

Earlier, after the two presidents had an extended one-to-one tete-a-tete, President Putin told waiting newsmen that he was satisfied with the way the relations were developing between Pakistan and Russia and noted the intensification of cooperation between the two countries.

He said he was confident that the visit of President Musharraf will lay the groundwork for developing further relations between the two.

President Putin said the visit will also help the two leaders to address international issues for the mutual benefit of the two people.

President Musharraf in his statement said that he had a frank, sincere and purposeful discussion with his Russian counterpart.

He said he told Putin that he had not come to Russia to write a new chapter but a new book of relations between the two countries.

“We must bury the past because the past was not much to look at.”

“We must create a new environment for bilateral relations. Expand our trade which is a paltry 83 million dollars with Pakistan suffering a deficit of 73 million dollars.”

Addressing about 100 Russian businessmen on Wednesday night, President Musharraf said that Pakistan attached the highest importance to translating the new relationship with Russia into mutually beneficial cooperation.

“This is what my presence here signifies,” observed the president.

He invited the business community of the Russian Federation to come to Pakistan and see for themselves the enormous “opportunities that investment-friendly Pakistan offers.”

He said Pakistan’s investment policies were among the most liberal in the world and any foreign investor can set up an industry with one hundred per cent equity.

“No permit or licencing is required except in a handful of sectors.”