India and Pakistan on Friday discussed the dates and agenda for the proposed foreign secretary-level talks as Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik met Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao in New Delhi. Malik met Rao in response to an offer of talks made by the foreign secretary to her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir about a week ago. She invited Bashir to Delhi for talks and proposed two sets of dates in this month.
"We discussed the possible agenda and the dates for the meeting. We have to find mutually convenient time and dates," Malik told reporters after hour-long discussions with Rao. He said he would inform the Pakistan government about his discussions he had with Rao.
Asked whether the composite dialogue, stalled after the Mumbai terror attacks, will be resumed, Malik said, "We have agreed in the past that dialogue is the only way forward."
Noting that so many issues form part of the composite dialogue, he said, "These are issues which are of concern to Pakistan and India and the attempt is to keep talking about the issues which are of concern to us."
Replying
"All possible issues which are of concern to both India and Pakistan will be discussed in general," he said.
Asked about Kashmir, Malik said Pakistan has been raising this issue with India at every possible opportunity and would continue to do so.
India has made it clear that terrorism will be the focus of the foreign secretary-level talks but it will "enter into the discussions with an open and positive mind".
India had suspended the composite dialogue after Mumbai terror attacks and refused to restart the process before it could see any concrete action being taken by Pakistan in punishing those behind the carnage.
