ISLAMABAD, 27 September 2005 — Indian External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh will visit Islamabad next week for talks with his Pakistani counterpart, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday.
Mohammed Naeem Khan said Natwar Singh and Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri will review progress on peace talks between the two nations when they meet on Oct. 3.
The two ministers are also expected to sign an agreement on pre-notification of ballistic missiles and discuss how to facilitate people-to-people contacts and enhance economic and political ties.
India and Pakistan will hold fresh talks on air and road links this week to strengthen their ongoing peace process, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said.
An Indian delegation, led by Ministry of Civil Aviation Director General Satendra Singh, arrived in Islamabad yesterday to holds talks with Pakistani officials on air link. Additional Secretary in Defense Ministry, Maj. Gen. (retd.) Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry, will lead the Pakistani side sources said.
Simultaneously a nine-member Pakistani delegation left for New Delhi to discuss a bus service between Amritsar in India and Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, Naeem said.
Beginning of truck service across the line of control (LOC) and bus services between Poonch in Indian Kashmir and Rawalakot in Pakistani side of Kashmir would also be taken up during the talks, sources said.
The two neighbors formally launched the peace process in January 2004 and a series of feel-good measures followed, including a historic bus service across the divided region of Kashmir and the resumption of sporting ties.
Trade Ties With Israel
Following the direct contact between the top leadership of Pakistan and Israel, the government has started homework for bilateral trade relations with Israel.
According to sources the Ministry of Commerce has been considering ways and means and items for import and export if serious discussions on trade links began.
“It is very difficult to say when both sides will start such talks. Any decision in this regard will be taken after taking the friendly countries and people of Pakistan into confidence,” sources said.
The sources said that the Ministry of Commerce will announce its plan after getting an approval from the top political leadership of the country. “Initially, indirect trade through third country would be encouraged and private sector would be allowed to exchange views on the possible trade between the two countries,” said the sources.
