The Hindu : National : Kasuri's visit in August, says Natwar

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Thursday, Jul 15, 2004

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National

Kasuri's visit in August, says Natwar

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JULY 14. The External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, said today that his Pakistani counterpart, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, would be visiting New Delhi in August.

"I'm myself going to Islamabad on the 19th [of July] for SAARC meetings. And then, in the month of August, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan will be visiting us," he told presspersons.

Allaying Pakistani apprehensions that the Congress-led Government was stressing on the Shimla Agreement alone, Mr. Singh said: "Shimla, Lahore and Islamabad is one chain." Other than the Shimla Agreement of 1972, the External Affairs Minister was referring to the Lahore process of 1999 and the joint press statement issued in Islamabad in January this year.

"We've announced a timetable for the next three weeks — a series of meetings between India and Pakistan touching all aspects of our relationship," he said in a reference to the ongoing composite dialogue process.

Stressing that he would take up the issue of infiltration with his Pakistani colleagues, Mr. Singh felt that, at the moment, the prospects for India-Pakistan rapprochement were good. "I don't want to pitch expectations too high." he added.

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