India proposes dates for talks

NEW Delhi has proposed two sets of dates - March 21-22 and March 28-29 - to Islamabad for home secretary-level talks in which both nuclear states will discuss issues of mutual interest, reported a private TV channel on Monday. India has suggested to Pakistan that the meeting between their home secretaries could take place either on March 21 and 22 or on March 28 and 29. Indian Home secretary Gopal K Pillai extended the invitation to Pakistan authorities last week and a response from Islamabad is awaited. The meeting is likely to be held in India and it will be the first structured bilateral secretary-level meeting on counter-terrorism after the recent Indo-Pak decision to resume talks. Online adds: Indian President Pratibha Patil has said the government would seek a peaceful resolution of all issues with Pakistan through talks. With Pakistan, we seek a peaceful resolution of issues through a meaningful dialogue so long as Pakistan does not allow its soil to be used for terrorist activities against India, PTI quoted her as saying on Monday in her address to joint sitting of Parliament. The governments foreign policy priority remains promotion and creation of an environment that is conducive to the socio-economic transformation of India, she said.

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