The dispute over Kashmir and measures to build confidence
between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan were the focus
Tuesday of their third round of talks in a sweeping peace process,
officials said.
The two countries' foreign secretaries headed the talks running
through Wednesday in New Delhi, where they will review progress
made at lower-level meetings and plot a course for future
negotiations, said an Indian foreign ministry spokesman, Natvej
Sarna.
Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan, who arrived in
the Indian capital on Monday, said he expected talks with his
Indian counterpart Shyam Saran to be positive.
He told reporters he would discuss the Kashmir dispute, peace
and security and other issues with Saran.
"I don't want to prejudge the outcome of discussions at this
stage," he said.
Earlier, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam
said in Islamabad that Pakistan is approaching the talks with a
"positive frame of mind" and looks forward to making progress on
resolving disputes.
Relations between the two neighbors _ long bedeviled by their
conflict over Kashmir, a Himalayan territory divided between them
but claimed in its entirety by both _ have improved much since the
peace process began in January 2004.
Still, the rivals have made only small steps toward peace since
the October 8 earthquake in Kashmir, despite hopes the devastating
quake would bring them closer.
Tension has risen since December, when Pakistan accused India of
supporting rebels in Pakistan's restive southwestern Baluchistan
province. New Delhi denies the allegation.
Tribesmen in gas-rich Baluchistan have been waging an insurgency
aimed at getting more royalties for resources extracted in the
area. They also oppose government plans to build new military
garrisons there.
Pakistan officials have said they plan to raise the matter at
the talks _ but asked if it was on the agenda, Sarna said Monday
that he did not "want to guess as to what is going to be
discussed."
However, he said the foreign secretaries would talk about how to
settle the Kashmir dispute and measures the two side could take to
build confidence between them.
The rivals have fought three wars, two over Kashmir, since the
subcontinent was partitioned upon independence from Britain in
1947.
Further complicating matters is an Islamic insurgency that has
festered since 1989 in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir. India
says Pakistan supports the militants from its side of the
territory, an accusation Islamabad denies.
(Chinadaily.com via agencies January 17, 2006)
