The Hindu : National : Bus service talks end without agreement

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 09, 2004

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National

Bus service talks end without agreement

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 8. Formal talks on commencing the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service ended today without any agreement on travel documents even as India and Pakistan consented to meet again to ``continue discussions at the next meeting to be held at mutually-agreed dates.''

In the Lok Sabha, the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, said: ``Talks are going on, there are some differences, but we are hoping to resolve these initially at the expert-level and later on probably at the Ministerial-level."

A joint press statement issued by the two sides said the talks were held in a ``frank, cordial and constructive'' atmosphere. ``Both sides reiterated their commitment towards an early establishment of the proposed link. Ideas were exchanged on all aspects related to the operationalisation of the bus service ... "

Diplomatic sources said no discussions on substantive issues on the bus service took place today, as the gulf between the two sides, evident on Tuesday, was too wide to bridge. The two sides were simply engaged in fine-tuning the bland four-paragraph joint press statement issued late this afternoon.

While India has proposed the use of an ``entry permit'' along with the passport, Pakistan saw no merit in this suggestion.

For its part, Pakistan has held firm that only local documents be used by travellers and the bus service remain confined to ``Kashmiris.'' New Delhi, on the other hand, feels that it cannot restrict this service to Indians with Kashmiri ethnicity.

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