The next round of Pakistan-India talks on conventional and nuclear Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) would take place on Oct. 18 and 19, the Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said on Monday.
Speaking at the weekly news briefing here, Aslam said the two sides would review the implementation of the CBMs already agreed upon during last meeting held in April last year in Islamabad and consider new proposals, if any.
Aslam said that the two sides would also discuss the issue of the return of inadvertent line crossers and hoped that they would arrive at an agreement on the issue.
She disclosed that the second meeting of the anti-terrorism mechanism between Pakistan and India would also take place in New Delhi on Oct. 22. This would provide opportunity to exchange views on how to help in investigations on either side into terrorist acts.
To a question the spokesperson said there was no slowing down of the composite dialogue process due to events in Pakistan or India. She pointed out that the two countries had entered into the fourth round of composite dialogue covering eight subjects and agreed upon a number of CBMs.
Aslam urged the need to take advantage of the improved climate and move towards resolving the disputes that have caused tension and conflict in the region.
To another question she said Pakistan had given a number of workable proposals to India that could form the basis for solution of the Siachen dispute. She reminded that the two countries were very close to a settlement way back in 1989 but India changed its mind.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) had a special representative on Kashmir besides a contact group that met regularly, Aslam said. She added that it provided an effective forum to convey views of the 54 OIC member states to the world on this burning issue and the need for its resolution according to international law and aspirations of Kashmiri people.
