Neither India nor Pak underestimate difficulties: Rao

Carrying forward their engagement process, India and Pakistan on Wednesday announced new Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) notwithstanding the unhappiness here about new Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khars meeting with Kashmiri separatist leaders here. The CBMs include increasing cross-LoC trading days and expanding travel to include tourism and religious aspects apart from relaxing permit conditions for travel by people of Jammu and Kashmir to the other side of LoC by having a system of six-month multiple entry. The CBMs were announced after the discussion between External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and 34-year old Ms. Khar during which both sides expressed the intent to move forward and forge a cooperative relationship although they stuck to their known positions on key issues such as J&K;and terror. Replying to a query on Indo-Pak position on Kashmir and Khars meeting with Hurriyat leaders on Tuesday, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, at a joint press conference with her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir, said neither of us underestimate the difficulties involved. There are divergences and that divergence was illustrated yesterday by the meetings you referred to.

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