Indo-Pak FS-level hold talks; finalise agenda for FMs meeting

NEW DELHI: Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan on Tuesday held consultations to finalise the agenda for the meeting between their foreign ministers tomorrow during which they will discuss Confidence Building Measures, India's concerns on terror and Jammu and Kashmir.

Terming the meeting with her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir as preparatory, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said, "We are meeting here today, preparatory to the discussion that will be held tomorrow between External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar."

Thanking Rao for inviting him and his team members here to carry on the work that they have started, Bashir said, "I think we have every reason to be satisfied with our joint endeavours for the cause of peace and stability and for the good relations between our two countries".

Bashir said he also look forward to a "productive meeting between the two ministers.

"We had a very good meeting in Islamabad last month and this in a sense has set the trend for the discussions today," Rao said.

Apart from reviewing the progress made by the two countries on various bilateral issues during the series of meetings, including security, commerce, water and Siachen, Krishna and Khar will also explore areas to expand the cooperation.

The ministers will also explore the possibility to upgrade the engagement in some areas such as commerce and security to the ministerial level, sources said.