Pak, India Foreign Secretaries to discuss peace process today
By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India will meet here Thursday to review the gains made so far on the peace process between the two countries. The two Foreign Secretaries would review the progress made on the eight agenda items of the Composite Dialogue — Peace and Security, Jammu and Kashmir, Wullar Barrage, Siachin, Sir Creek, Terrorism and Drug Trafficking, Economy and trade cooperation and promotion of friendly exchanges.
Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran arrived in Lahore late Wednesday and later left for the capital Islamabad. Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan and his Indian counterpart would take into account the work done under the composite dialogue process on September 1, while the Foreign Ministers of the two countries would meet on Oct 3-5 to review the overall progress, Foreign Office Spokesman Naeem Khan said.
He said President General Pervez Musharraf was also expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly that would allow them to discuss all issues including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The two leaders last met in April when President Musharraf went to New Delhi to witness a cricket match between the two countries, followed by an announcement that the peace process was irreversible.
The two foreign secretaries are also expected to discuss the likely meeting and its agenda, official sources said. The two countries have gradually moved ahead to resolve their outstanding disputes through a series of Confidence Building Measures, including increased people to people contacts, restoration of road, rail and airlinks, sports and release of prisoners.
However little progress has been made towards a resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Pakistan has repeatedly pointed at the slow pace and stressed that progress can only be made once the leaders show flexibility, courage and sincerity for a solution of the core issue of Kashmir, which is acceptable to all the three stakeholders — Pakistan, India and the Kashmiris.
Our Lahore Bureau adds: The Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran arrived here from New Delhi Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Pakistan to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries. The Indian official later left for Islamabad. The talks to commence on Thursday in the Federal capital will take up number of issues of mutual interest concerning the peace process between the Pakistan and India. The Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India would review the progress of the second round of talks held earlier between the two countries.