Pakistan proposes foreign secretaries level talks

Islamabad: Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Wednesday, proposed January 16 for talks between the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India.

"Pakistan is now waiting for India's response to the proposed dates," Dawn online quoted Aziz as saying.

The foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries will be held in Islamabad, Aziz said.

In the meeting held between Sharif and the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of the 'Heart of Asia' conference here earlier this month, Swaraj said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the neighbor country during 2016.

Both the countries have agreed to reinitiate a comprehensive dialogue process, Swaraj had said during a joint press conference later.

The foreign secretaries' dialogue will include matters related to peace and security, Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage, Tulbul Navigation Project, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism, narcotics control, humanitarian issues, people-to-people exchanges and religious tourism.

The national security advisers of Pakistan and India had a brief and unannounced meeting in Bangkok, which followed an informal and short meeting between the prime ministers of both the countries in Paris at the World Climate Summit.

India and Pakistan also held flag level meeting in Poonch yesterday.(IANS)