Natwar, Kasuri for better 3rd round

External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh today told his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid M Kasuri that they should look to make quick progress...

External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh today told his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid M Kasuri that they should look to make quick progress on various issues in the composite dialogue. One of the reasons for the hurry, according to Singh: He turns 75 next May.

Anyway, both agreed that progress in the second round was better than the first and that the third round—between January and July next year—should be even better.

Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran later said the talks in the first two rounds had laid a good foundation for the two sides to take the process forward in the next round. ‘‘Both ministers were satisfied with the results of the second round of the composite dialogue. And the expectations are that the third round would be better.’’

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On J-K, Saran re-emphasised the PM’s view that there cannot be any territorial exchange. ‘‘Short of that, we are prepared to do what can be done to address the adverse consequences people have to face on both sides of Kashmir due to lines drawn on the map,’’ said Saran.

Kasuri hosted Singh to a private lunch at the bungalow of the Governor of the NWFP in Nathiagali, little ahead of Murree and about 85 km from Islamabad, after the delegation level talks.

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