Secys to hold talks at neutral venue

ISLAMABAD - After hectic diplomatic efforts, Pakistan and India have agreed on the neutral venue of crucial foreign secretaries meeting and it will be held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt on the sidelines of Non-aligned Movement (NAM) summit scheduled for July 11-16.
The two foreign secretaries, at the end of their meeting, will come up with the important announcement of recommencement of Indo-Pak peace process that came to halt after the last years Mumbai terror attacks.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir will meet his Indian counterpart Shiv Shankar Menon on July 11 or 12 in Sharm El Sheikh to chalk out the schedule for the Indo-Pak composite dialogue to resolve the Kashmir and other bilateral disputes, said an official here asking for anonymity.
Hence, he said it was also likely that apart from formal announcement about the resumption of dialogue, the foreign secretaries unveiled the schedule for officials talks on Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek and other bilateral issues that the two sides were discussing since the start of Indo-Pak peace process back in 2004 before it stopped in the wake of Mumbai attacks in late 2008.
According to the official, India was reluctant to send its foreign secretary to Islamabad despite the strong demand by Islamabad before a strong action against the alleged culprits of Mumbai attacks including the defunct Jamaat-ud-Dawas chief Hafiz Saeed.
In order to revive the peace process, which it believes is vital for regional peace and stability, Pakistan dropped its demand that Indian foreign secretary should visit Islamabad and agreed on a neutral venue for the foreign secretary level talks, he said.
He said that Islamabad and New Delhi reached the agreement on venue and timing for the foreign sectaries meeting in the Fridays meeting between the Foreign Minister Shah Mamhood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart, SM Krishna on the sidelines of G-8 meeting of foreign ministers in Trieste, Italy.
The official said that after the meeting between the two foreign secretaries, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, who will represent Pakistan in NAM summit, would also meet the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The two leaders meeting in Sharm-el-Sheikh will give the much needed impetus to the Indo-Pak peace process that will resume after months long stillness and lull.