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Pakistan, India agree to resume formal peace talks

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Feb 10, IRNA -- Pakistan and India have agreed to resume formal peace talks for the first time since the Mumbai attacks in 2008, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao met in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu on Sunday and made the decision to resume the stalled dialogue, the Foreign Office said.

“They have agreed to resume dialogue on all issues following the spirit of the Thimphu meeting between the two Prime Ministers,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.

Prime Ministers of the two countries met in Thimphu in April last year at a regional summit.

The Foreign Minister of Pakistan will visit India by July 2011 to review progress in the dialogue process with his counterpart. This will be preceded by a meeting of the two Foreign Secretaries, the statement said.

Both sides have agreed that prior to the visit of the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, meetings at the level of respective Secretaries will be convened on Counter-terrorism (including progress on Mumbai trial); Humanitarian issues; Peace & Security, including CBMs; Jammu & Kashmir; promotion of friendly exchanges; Siachen; Economic issues; Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project; and Sir Creek (at the level of Additional Secretaries / Surveyors General).

Dates of the aforementioned meetings will be fixed through diplomatic channels, the statement said.

Meanwhile Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Thursday welcomed resumption of formal peace talks, the PM office said.

“Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has expressed his satisfaction on the important decision taken both by Pakistan and India to resume full spectrum of dialogue,” a statement from the PM office said.

The Prime Minister expressed these views during meeting with the Foreign Secretary who presented him a Report on his meeting with the Indian Foreign Secretary at Thimphu, in Islamabad .

The Prime Minister said this constitute a culmination of the efforts made by him alongwith Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during the last few months and most notably at Thimphu last April 2010 during SAARC Summit. The Prime Minister appreciated the vision of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for opening of a new chapter in the relations between the two countries which Pakistan fully reciprocates.

Talking to the media, the Prime Minister said, “The Secretary, Foreign Affairs has submitted report on dialogue between Pakistan and India at Thimphu ( Bhutan ). I am satisfied on this development. It is the result of my negotiations with Dr Manmohan Singh. This decision is exactly according to the spirit of understanding reached at during my interaction with Dr Manmohan Singh at Thimphu . I value this development and pay my compliments and good wishes to Dr Manmohan Singh.”

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30236849